


A Fallen God

by Lady_of_Asgard



Category: Loki - Fandom, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Jealous Loki (Marvel), Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, Loki (Marvel) Feels, Loki doesn't understand the feels, Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Possessive Loki (Marvel), Post-Thor (2011), Present Tense, Protective Loki (Marvel), Reader-Insert, Slow Burn, The Avengers (2012) Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-14 03:27:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29289069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_of_Asgard/pseuds/Lady_of_Asgard
Summary: Your tragic past has led you to where you are today -- working as a Bellevue Hospital nurse while keeping your distance from anyone who tries to come too close.Living this way means that life isn't too exciting or eventful. In fact it's rather lonely at times...But at least it's safe. It's predictable.That is until a certain immortal comes tumbling down to Earth, turning your existence completely upside down.---Reader-insert following the events of the Marvel movies (post-Thor).
Relationships: Jane Foster/Thor, Loki (Marvel)/Reader, Loki (Marvel)/You
Comments: 8
Kudos: 74





	1. There He Fell Again

**Author's Note:**

> I’m sure someone has already done the idea of a reader-insert into the movies, but I wanted to do my own take on it. Therefore, anything in my writing that happens to be similar to someone else's is pure coincidence. And of course, none of this belongs to me. Thank you to Stan Lee for creating the Marvel Comics Universe that eventually lead to the films we all know and love, enabling me to write this mess of a thing. <3.
> 
> And with that -- Hope you enjoy the read :)

“Head on home dear, working a double shift is always rough!” You smile at your coworker Gale, grateful to finally be able to head home. 

Gale was an older lady in her 50s who has been working as a nurse at Bellevue Hospital for the past 20 years. In fact, Gale is the one who helped train you when you first started your nursing job. “Here, I brought in some treats for the staff, take one for the road.” Gale hands you a chocolate chip cookie with a smile. “You deserve it! Go on home and get some rest, enjoy your few days off!” 

It was a Friday, and you were scheduled to work the morning shift from 6:45 to 15:45. However, a co-worker had called in sick and you were asked to stay and work the evening shift as well. It was no problem, truth be told, you didn’t have anything better to do anyway. 

“Thanks Sue! Fingers crossed for a calm night!” You devour the cookie and wave goodbye, making your way out the sliding doors towards the bus stop. You check your watch -- it is 21:45, with the bus leaving at 21:51, you have just enough time to catch it.

You have been working as a Bellevue Hospital nurse for about 2 years now, ever since leaving your position as a field agent with the CIA. Of course, that part of your life was redacted and strings were pulled to get you this nursing position. You deserve it. After all, you had risked life and limb... And lost family thanks to your previous job.

As you climb onto the bus, dropping the correct amount of fare into the designated slot, you make your way to the back. Sitting down in an empty seat, you close your eyes, reflecting on the life you’ve led.

You are the only child of diligent parents who worked their asses off to provide you with a decent life. It was far from a perfect childhood though, your parents were very strict. They expected you to be perfect at everything you did. When you inevitably weren’t, they would scold you. You still remember the many tears you shed in the shower after your field hockey games, where you were  _ absolutely pathetic  _ and by far  _ the worst player on the team _ . Not encouraging words to hear from your parents while growing up.

Your mother was a narcissist who had an affair with a man from church. The incident eventually tore the family apart and life was never really the same after that.

“It was his fault, you know. I was unhappy in the marriage. I couldn’t take it anymore.” That was the excuse. As if cheating was the only option to an unhappy marriage. 

The man and your mother never ended up together. They did continue to interact with each other on occasion, you noticed, when you were forced to attend church with your mother on Sunday’s. “Going to church is good for you. It will help you develop good morals.”  _ Good morals. Ha.  _ That coming from your mother was rich.

Your father became less strict, more outgoing and seemed to enjoy life after the divorce. Maybe it ended up being good for him. He loved you, his only child, but in true old-fashioned manner, those three words were never uttered.

Your parents continued to see each other from time to time after the divorce, it was for your sake -- you could tell. They were cordial with one another, but there was always a strained awkwardness that made you very uncomfortable.

Upon graduating high school, you went on to the University of Maryland, only seeing your parents on the rarest of occasions. Taking the proper paths, you joined the CIA and continued working with them for the next 8 years. That job took you all over the world (ensuring minimal contact with your family), working with and against all types of people and organizations. 

To be honest you weren’t the best agent. You weren’t even a great agent. You just happened to be the weakest link in an outstanding team of agents, and was somehow lucky enough to catch the eye of a terrorist organization. 

Who then proceeded to wipe out your entire family. 

They had obviously mistaken you for one of the other, more competent members of the team, but regardless,  _ message received _ . It wasn’t the best of families, but it was still your family. You mourned them, and even now still feel regret from time to time for not visiting them or calling them more often. 

Regret for not telling them you love them. 

After being informed of your family’s brutal murder, you resigned. There was chatter about you being a coward, how you should stay on and get revenge for your family. It was a hard decision, but you decided against the revenge path. Where would it end? It would be a never ending cycle of vengeance, people would continue to die just cause one party had too much pride to stop? 

_ No _ . 

And thus, you ended up where you are today. A nurse at one of the oldest hospitals in New York City. It isn’t an easy job, but at least you’re helping save lives.

The sound of the driver yelling “last stop!” intrudes on your thoughts as you gather your things, preparing to walk the rest of the way home. 

“Have a good night!” Waving to the driver, you step out onto the sidewalk. Taking in a breath of the crisp evening air, you head towards your apartment building. 

You live at the top of a five story building in a quiet little neighbourhood just outside the hustle and bustle of downtown New York. The area is full of middle-aged couples with kids and the occasional senior. People in those age brackets rarely had loud, lively parties. You appreciate the quiet.

The sky is clear, giving a stunning view of the shimmering stars. Intertwining the fingers of both hands, you lazily stretch your arms towards the sky, cracking your fingers and wrists in relief. As you turn the corner towards your apartment, your arms drop and your eyes widen.

There is a swirling grey hole hovering above your building. It looks out of place in comparison to the calm clear sky surrounding it and you quicken your pace to get a better view. 

“What in the..?” Your mouth drops open as you get closer, the hole isn’t just above your building, it’s directly above your balcony. You see something fall from the large hole just as the swirling clouds vanish.

Running towards the entrance of your building, you unlock the door and run full speed towards the elevator. Silently, you thank the gods as the lift was already there and waiting. Upon entering, you urgently poke at the number five button and curse humanity for not building faster elevators. As the lift doors ding open, you sprint down the hallway to your apartment, unlocking the door and throwing it ajar.

_ Ok, calm down. _ You shut and lock the door behind you.  _ It was probably nothing. I mean.. I did work a double shift. _ Taking a deep breath, you drop your bag, remove your boots and calmly hang up your jacket.

Stepping out into the hallway from the entry cove, you turn right, moving into the living room. From there, you turn left and make your way towards the balcony on the far side of the room, gasping at the sight in front of you. 

There is a man on your balcony, lying face up with his eyes closed. He’s wearing an odd leathery black, green and gold outfit. You’ve never seen anything like it before. As you make your way closer, opening the balcony door, you can see that he is injured. There are scratches on his face and a wound in his chest -- perhaps from a knife? 

Next to him lies a golden scepter with a blue glowing gem on one end. Peeking your head out the door, you look upward towards the sky.  _ Nothing _ . The swirling clouds are still gone, the sky looks undisturbed. In fact, no one seems to notice this odd event, as the evening is still and quiet.

You stand in the open doorway, staring down at the strange man. Chewing your lower lip, you consider calling the police. _Would they believe me?_ _A man fell from the sky onto my balcony._ You could already imagine their skepticism. Your eyes linger on the wound in his stomach. _Then again, he is injured. And I am a nurse._

_ Damn it. _ You breach the threshold onto the balcony and approach the man. 

“Hello? Are you alright... Sir?” Cautiously moving towards him, you crouch down and place a hand on his shoulder, shaking gently. No answer.  _ Not exactly what I want to deal with after coming home from a double shift.  _ Taking a deep breath to prepare yourself, you grab the golden scepter in your right hand and throw his right arm over your left shoulder. Using all of your strength, you half lift, half drag him into your living room, settling him on a spot in the middle of the room. Closing the balcony door, you eye the scepter in your hand. A strange feeling starts to bubble inside you. Anger? Rage? Thoughts of those who had murdered your family engulfs your mind,  _ the things I could do to them… _

Shaking your head, you quickly toss the scepter onto the couch and stare at it, alarmed. You haven’t had thoughts of vengeance in a long time. They’re the kinds of thoughts you try to suppress. 

Pushing the possibility of an object influencing your thoughts and emotions out of your mind, you head into the kitchen to wet a cloth. Grabbing the medical kit from your bookshelf on the way back into the living room, you set to work cleaning the strangers wounds and patching him up.

By the time you are finished, it is past midnight. You sit on the floor next to the man, leaning against the couch as you take him in. This is the first time you’ve really had a chance to study him. 

He is very pale and has dark circles under his eyes. His black hair falls just below his shoulders, and he has a sharp, angled jaw. He might be considered handsome if he didn’t look so deathly. His chest rises and falls gently as he lays there resting and you can hear his soft breathing. You had placed bandages on his face where the cuts were deep, and his shirt is ripped open where another bandage now covers the wound in his chest. 

_ He’s out cold. Didn’t even move when I was disinfecting the wounds. _ You pull your legs up against your chest and set your chin on your knees. Grabbing the remote control off the coffee table, you turn on the TV and mute the volume. You silently promise to call the cops if he proves to be trouble when he awakens. Until then, you’re going to keep an eye on him. You definitely aren’t going to fall asleep while a stranger who fell from the sky is recovering in your home.

_ He could be dangerous... _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all for now! Next time we'll have a look at what Loki was up to before ending up on a strangers balcony.
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to read :)


	2. There He Fell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki's POV, giving a look at what he was up to before his drop down to Earth.
> 
> This chapter has no real impact on the story, so feel free to skip over it and head to Chapter 3 if you'd like to continue directly from where Chapter 1 left off.

“I could have done it, father… I could have done it. For you. For all of us.”*

“No Loki…” Odin’s words hurt more than the Prince of Asgard could have imagined and his heart hardened as his grip loosened and he fell...

\----

Loki doesn’t know how long he’s been falling for, but when he finally opens his eyes, he’s laying on his back in a foreign place. It isn’t a planet, no.. it’s far too small to be a planet. It’s an asteroid. What he also finds are a number of Chitauri pointing their guns at him. 

“What do you want? Can’t you see I’m resting?” He sighs, exasperated by their presence. “Be gone before I kill you all!” Loki swats at the gun pointed directly at his face. Closing his eyes again, he realizes that his head is throbbing. Things have been quite eventful recently, what with temporarily becoming King of Asgard, sending the Destroyer down to Midgard, fighting his brother Thor...  _ not _ getting the approval of his father.

The Chitauri chitter and chatter amongst themselves until one foolish warrior decides to probe Loki in the chest with its gun. His green eyes fly open and a wide grin appears on his face. “No rest for the wicked I suppose...” 

In an instant, Loki is gone. The Chitauri look around in confusion as one of their warriors shriek out in pain. With one swift movement, the God of Mischief digs his daggers into the back of the Chitauri who had disturbed him. A short battle ensues, with Loki fluidly moving through the fight, taking each warrior down one by one.

Soon there is only a single warrior left. Slightly tilting his head to the side, Loki runs his fingers through his ebony hair as he walks towards the trembling lone Chitauri. 

“I did warn you..” He hums while twirling a dagger in his hand. “Now, how do you wish to die? Shall I- ” Before he is able to finish, a new voice chimes in. 

“Prince of Asgard.. He has been watching you.” Someone new has arrived.

“Hm, we’ll make it short and sweet then.” In one swift motion, Loki slits the Chitauri’s throat. Shoving it aside, he turns towards the intruder. “Listen.” Tucking his dagger into his belt, his eyes raise to meet the stranger’s. “I’ve had an exciting few days. Lots of traveling. Family affairs, you know how it is I’m sure.” Dusting off his sleeves, he continues, “I’m in dire need of a little ‘me’ time.. So unless you want to end up like --” A sudden breeze blows past, as long thin fingers coil around his neck, lifting him high off the ground. 

“The Almighty Thanos wishes to speak to you, fool. Do not keep him waiting.” The stranger is dressed in a dark hooded robe with black fabric wrapped around his eyes. As the fingers around his neck tighten, Loki disappears, reappearing behind the hooded figure. They stand back to back, Loki crossing his arms and shaking his head in disappointment.

“Tsk tsk tsk… You didn’t think it’d be that easy, did you?” As he turns, realization strikes him -- the robbed figure has vanished. Frowning, his eyes wander the area until he feels something pierce through his armour and into his stomach. His gaze drops downward as he grunts in surprise. 

The figure has reappeared, impaling a dagger into his stomach.  _ How did I not notice this.. Maybe I do need a vacation?  _ Frustrated, Loki shoves the figure aside as he removes the dagger, tossing it behind him. “Enough already, your cheap tricks are really far from impressive.” 

“Is that anyway to treat our special guest?” A booming voice grabs Loki’s attention as he turns towards the source, eyebrows raised. “I apologize for my assistant’s behaviour. He can be rather.. Impulsive.” 

There, in the soft glowing light of the universe stands a Titan. He must have been over 8 feet tall, built like a boulder. A big, purple boulder. “I’m sure a minor wound such as that is nothing to you... You are but a god after all.”

“Quite right.” Clearing his throat, Loki straightens, dusting off his pants and coat. “I’m assuming you’re the Almighty Thanos mentioned earlier? What  _ exactly  _ is it that you want with me?” Tilting his head upwards to meet the Titan’s gaze, he continues, “As I was telling your friend over there, I’ve had some  _ dreadfully  _ exhausting days recently..”

“I have been watching you, Loki of Asgard.”

“So I’ve heard.”

“You have… Ambition.”

Loki thinks for a moment. “That I do... What of it?”

“I believe an arrangement between us could prove mutually beneficial. There is an item on Midgard.” Thanos steps closer, towering over the Asgardian. “The Tesseract. I wish to have it. In exchange, I shall provide you with an army. With power.” 

Thanos reveals a golden scepter with a glowing blue core. “This scepter will help you locate the Tesseract and achieve your goal... You shall rule over one of the Nine realms, just as you deserve.”

Loki’s eyes shine and a mischievous half grin appears on his face. “Mmm.. wreak havoc upon the pathetic realm of Midgard before reforming it to become my own glorious kingdom?! You know all the right things to say.” He taps his fingers on his chin thoughtfully. Reaching out to take the scepter from Thanos, Loki examines it carefully. The scepter holds a gem that glimmers in the light of the stars and seems to enhance his deepest, darkest feelings. A large, malicious grin appears on his face as his gaze returns to Thanos. 

“You will get your precious Tesseract. And Midgard shall be mine.”

A portal begins to form behind Loki as the Titan known as Thanos gives a slight nod of approval. With the wave of his giant hand, the mischievous immortal is thrown backwards, falling yet again...

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next we'll return to the present and see if Loki will finally wake up! (Hint: He will!)
> 
> I'm going to get started on the next chapter this evening, but I have a lot of school work coming up, so it probably won't be up until mid/end of next week?  
> Thanks for taking the time to read :)


	3. TV and Takeout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I continued to procrastinate with my classes... :(
> 
> So this happened earlier than expected.
> 
> … He awakens!

You hadn’t slept. 

Okay, you had... But you had  _ tried  _ not to sleep and that’s what counts. Plus, you ended up only getting about 2 hours, so you’re still exhausted. 

It doesn’t even matter that you were somehow able to fall asleep in that uncomfortable position last night, because the stranger laying in the middle of your living room is still passed out. 

In fact, even after slipping down the hall to fix your hair, brush your teeth and wash your face, he continues to sleep. 

Even after tidying the kitchen, doing a bit of dusting and watching way too many TV shows... He is  _ still  _ asleep. 

You stand above him, hands on your hips. You don’t dare head into shower or change out of your scrubs for fear of him waking up and doing god knows what to you. The analog clock above your television reads 11:35, and your stomach grumbles, reminding you of just how hungry you are. You had skipped dinner and breakfast after all.

Leaving the living room, you turn right into your tiny kitchen and start to rummage through the cupboards. Shaking an empty box of cereal, you sigh, tossing it into the trash. 

Moving over to the fridge, you throw open the door, only to be met with a stick of butter, a bottle of ketchup and a full jug of water. You groan, throwing your hands over your face and letting them slowly slide off in a dramatic show of agony. 

As you return to the living room, your eyes wander over to the glowing scepter, still resting on the couch. Its presence has been making you uneasy, so you quickly pick it up and drop it into the umbrella stand near the entryway. 

Letting out a long sigh, you settle down comfortably on the couch, pulling out your cell phone.  _ Chinese food it is!  _ There’s a nearby restaurant you’ve got on speed dial, so you quickly order yourself a big greasy meal. 

_ I deserve it. I just worked a double shift and ended up coming home to.. Well, more work.  _

Once this guy wakes up and gets out of your hair, you’ll be able to treat yourself to a nice bath and some delicious food. Who knows, maybe both at the same time if you’re feeling adventurous. 

Within twenty minutes your food has arrived and you find yourself standing over the mystery man, slurping down chow mein straight from the box. 

“How are you still asleep?” You mumble through a mouth full of noodles. 

Sure, you could be sitting, but you figure this is safer. If you’re sitting, you might let your guard down. In this position, if he wakes up and tries to attack, you could dump the noodles on his head. You scoff at the ridiculous thought.

Fifteen minutes later and you're in the kitchen washing dishes. There are a ton of leftovers still sitting on the kitchen table, enough for dinner and possibly lunch the next day. 

After the dishes are done, you grab a glass from the cabinet, filling it up with water before returning to the living room to check in on the sleeping man. He’s definitely still alive, you can see his chest rising and falling with each breath. 

_ I could attempt the old, dump water on his face trick… But that wouldn’t be very nice. _

With a sigh and a shrug you drop down into a cross legged position next to him, leaning back against the sofa. Taking a sip of water, you give a satisfied hum before shrieking in surprise. 

He’s awake. 

He sits up abruptly. 

His head slowly turns towards you, eyes shimmering. You hold your breath in fear as his piercing gaze examines you curiously. 

In the blink of an eye, he snatches the glass from your hand and downs the remaining water in one quick gulp. 

“Hm. Surprisingly refreshing.” He eyes the glass momentarily before carelessly tossing it over his shoulder. 

You wince as it shatters against the floor. 

“I’m famished. I desire a feast.” Your mouth drops open in shock as you slowly turn back to meet his gaze.

“What are you doing!?” Getting to your feet, you’re surprised to find that he is now standing as well.  _ I don’t remember seeing him get up _ . Shaking your head in frustration you glare up at him. 

“I save your life and you repay me by destroying my things?” The man gives you an amused grin. 

“Save me? What could a pathetic, little mortal like  _ you _ , save  _ me  _ from exactly?” He spits the words in your face in a purposefully degrading manner. 

You point towards the wound in his stomach and his gaze follows. 

“This? Oh, how ignorant you are...” He waves a hand over the bandage and the wound is gone. In fact, his shirt is perfectly repaired as well, just as good as new.  _ How…? _

You step forward, boldly reaching out to run a hand over his clothed abdomen as he looks down at you, an amused grin playing on his lips. 

“How? That’s.. A magic trick, right? You’re.. A magician of some sort?” Stopping about a meter away, you eye him suspiciously.  _ Or maybe I just need some more sleep. _

“A magician.. How insulting.” He eyes you coldly. “Would a  _ magician _ be able to do  _ this? _ ”

With a snap of his fingers and a wave of his hand, two daggers materialize, heading straight towards your chest. Your eyes widen in shock and you brace yourself for the pain that is about to come.

But it never does.

The daggers disappear with a little green poof upon impact. 

You rub your eyes, looking down at your body.  _ What’s happening. _

The stranger has no interest in what just happened and instead turns his attention to the surroundings.

“Is this where you live, mortal?” As he takes in your living room, a disgusted look crosses his face. “The dungeons of Asgard are more luxurious.”

“The dungeons of what? Wait...” __

_ Did that fall mess with his head?  _

_ But that doesn’t explain the daggers. Or the wound.  _

“Sir… Do you remember who you are? Where you’re from?” You speak slowly and clearly, just in case the fall had caused a concussion.

Dramatically opening his arms wide, a large grin appears on his face. 

“Loki Odinson, Prince of Asgard, God of Mischief and soon to be Ruler of Midgard.” He turns away from you, dropping his arms and making his way towards the window, broken glass crunching under each step. 

_ Well, that explains why he fell from the sky. He’s a god.  _

_ Wait, no.  _

_ There’s definitely no way he’s a god. _

_ I’m being irrational, he must have been on the roof and somehow slipped, falling onto the balcony _ .  _ I was just so tired last night, I missed that part. _

“Now that I am rested, I demand something to eat.” He pauses before continuing. 

“I have big plans for this realm.” He waves you away while peering out the window. “Go on little mortal, bring me something good.” 

You stare at him for a moment before hesitantly, making your way into the kitchen, still a bit dazed and confused.  _ The nerve of that guy. _

You had really hoped he would just wake up, be thankful and then leave. Instead, he seems to have hit his head way too hard and now thinks he’s some kind of... God. 

_ None of this is real.  _

_ He’s delusional.  _

_ I’m lacking sleep.  _

_ All of this is just some kind of stress-induced hysteria.  _

Although you are slightly shook from the magical knife show, you do pity the guy. 

You decide that the least you can do, is give him a decent meal before releasing him onto the unforgiving streets of NYC. From what you’ve seen so far, he’ll inevitably get hauled away in a straitjacket anyway. Maybe even to Bellevue.

You grab a plate and start piling it full of egg rolls, fried rice, sesame chicken and fried dumplings. Maybe if you give him some food, he’ll be satisfied enough with your hospitality to leave.

Upon entering the living room, your eyes linger on the leather clad man. He is still facing the window and clearly distracted. You can hear him muttering to himself, but aren’t able to catch anything meaningful. 

“Gatekeeper...”

“… Spell...”

“...The mortal.”

_ The ramblings of a mad man. Poor guy _ . You clear your throat in an attempt to get his attention. 

He turns, a satisfied look crossing his face when he sees you have a plate of food. Making his way towards you, he snatches the plate from your hands, eyeing the wooden chopsticks you’ve brought him.

“What are these?”

“They’re chopsticks, you can use them for the food. Here-” In an instant, his fingers have snaked their way around your wrist. 

You gasp in surprise, clutching tightly onto the chopsticks in order to prevent them from dropping to the ground. You realize how tall he is as he towers over you, green eyes boring down into yours. His grip tightens. 

The pressure of his fingers against skin creates a strange feeling. His touch is cold. Yet, you can feel warmth flooding into your body at the same time. 

Before you can truly react to the sensation, it is over. 

The stranger tosses your wrist away aggressively, eyeing you with curiosity. “Get me something else, I do not wish to use those.”

You stumble backwards, staring down at your wrist. A dark blue handprint is slowly fading away, and in mere seconds, it is completely gone. You run your fingers over the area where the mark had been.

Nothing you’ve ever seen or experienced, even while still working for the CIA, could explain what had happened thus far.

The wound, the knives, this mark... It was starting to scare you.  _ Maybe I’ve been drugged? _

Tired of waiting for further reactions from you, Loki turns his attention to the plate of food in his hands. He hungrily plucks up an egg roll, taking a large bite. After chewing for a moment, he examines it curiously. 

“What is this? We have no such thing on Asgard. It is… Magnificent.” His eyebrows dart up in surprise at enjoying the parcel of food.”Such a delicacy.” 

_ Did he just call an eggroll a delicacy? _ Your thoughts and feelings are jumbled and confused. One part of you is concerned about this stranger being in your home, about the things he’s able to do and has done to you already. The other part is amused at his chaotic behaviour and apparent love for eggrolls.

“Go get me something to eat these tiny little grains with.” He lifts his eyes and peers over at you while poking at the fried rice. “Are you daft? Hurry up!”

In a daze, you make your way to the kitchen, leaning on the counter to think. You couldn’t get the thought of those knives and that touch out of your head. 

_ What should I do? _

_ I could fight him _ . You are ex-CIA after all. But you hadn’t done any real fighting in over 2 years. From what you’ve just seen and  _ felt  _ from this guy, he would probably shoot laser beams out of his eyes and disintegrate you. 

_ Call the police. _ But what if he hears you? He more than likely has some kind of supersonic hearing if he can make knives appear out of thin air. 

_ Wait it out _ . 

You decide that the man is just tumultuous and is more than likely to be harmless. All of the things you  _ think  _ you’ve just experienced probably didn’t actually happen. He isn’t really a threat, he’s just.. A bit off.  _ And so am I apparently. _

Upon returning to the living room, you find Loki lounging on the couch, dropping the last bit of dumpling into his mouth. His plate is nearly empty, save for the fried rice. 

“This! This is crispy, yet juicy at the same time...” He licks his fingers clean and grabs the spoon from you as you approach, inhaling the rice. 

“Did you make this?” Loki asks, mouth full of food. “You shall prepare my feasts once I am made ruler of this realm.” You raise an eyebrow questioningly.

“I didn’t make any of that.” Loki hums as he continues to eat. “And I’m not too keen on the idea of being a royal cook either.” 

“It matters not what you’re keen on, mortal.” He responds, while shooting you a threatening glare. Before heading too far down the rabbithole of starting an argument with a madman, you remind yourself again that he’s unhinged.

He’s settled on the far end of the sofa near the window, and you notice that the bandages on his face are gone. His skin is flawless, not a single scratch or wound remains from last night. Though you can still see traces of dark circles under his eyes.

“Oh, this?” Catching your stare, he motions at his face. “I realized you had done something dreadful to me. Covering  _ this  _ face with… Whatever it was that was on me.” 

Choosing not to answer, you make your way over to the couch, settling down a good distance away from him. You watch as he eagerly shoves the last bit of rice into his mouth, carelessly setting the plate down on the coffee table with a satisfied sigh. 

“What exactly is that?” Pointing to the television mounted on your wall, he looks at you questioningly. “I’ve seen them on my travels to Midgard in the past, but due to more… Pressing matters, never had time to investigate.”

“The TV? It’s used for entertainment, I guess.” Picking up the remote, you increase the volume and flick through the channels until Loki signals for you to stop. 

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical drama film,  _ The Phantom of The Opera _ was just about to start.

“This looks entertaining!” Loki squeals in delight as he shimmies around on the couch, making himself more comfortable. He drops his feet heavily onto your coffee table as you bite down on your bottom lip in order to prevent yourself from screaming. 

Thanks to being raised by a neat-freak mom, you are one of those  _ SHOES OFF AT THE DOOR  _ people, so him having his shoes on around your house at all was already painful. 

Comforting yourself with the thought that he’d be leaving soon, you sit in silence for the next two and a half hours or so as your strange guest is mesmerized by the movie. He is on the edge of his seat, absolutely delighted by even the commercials that pop up occasionally. Seeing him this way, you finally feel a bit more at ease in his presence.

As the movie comes to an end and the credits start to roll, Loki gets to his feet, stretching. He then makes his way over to the TV tapping on it curiously. 

“How does it work?” Glancing up at you, a wicked grin forms on his face. “Are they trapped? Forced to perform for eternity?” You stifle a laugh, contemplating how someone could possibly have never heard of TV before in this day and age. You decide to refer to good ol’ Google. 

“Let me see, how can I explain this to you…” As you scan through the search results, he returns to the couch, settling himself down a bit closer to you than before. 

“And that is...?” Loki looks down at the screen of your smartphone. 

“I’m using a search engine. You can search for things and --”

“Search for Loki of Asgard.” You hesitate, but decide to do as he says, navigating to the Wikipedia page. There is a wall of text about a Loki of Norse mythology, along with some pictures.

“Is that supposed to be me?” He frowns at the brownish, yellow photo of a witch-like figure. “Tell me it isn’t me.” He groans in annoyance. “I look nothing like that.” 

You shrug,  _ probably because it isn’t you?  _

“Well, supposedly it is you. With a fishing net.” You relay to him what the caption of the photo says. Loki frowns before turning his attention to the text.

“Is all that writing about me…?” A satisfied look crosses his face as he leans back, stretching his arms across the top of the couch. “At least you mortals already know of me. It will make things easier... Although, your artistic portrayals leave much to be desired.” Loki tuts, shaking his head.

“Well, it’s mythology. Widely considered to not be real, it’s kind of--” In an instant, Loki is on his feet, glaring down at you.  _ Did I hit a nerve…? _

“ _ Not  _ real!? Do I not look real to you, mortal?” You pause, thinking carefully about what you should say, so as to not upset the guy. 

Before you can answer, his attention drifts towards the glowing scepter by the door. Making his way over, he picks it up, examining it carefully. 

“Ah yes, I almost got distracted by all…” He motions at the surroundings. “ _ This _ .” 

You quietly watch him, suspecting that he is about to give thanks and finally take his leave. Well, at least the latter part.

“I must admit, it has been fun mortal, a…” Loki rubs his chin, trying to find the right words. “Unique experience.” He glances over at you. 

“But alas, I have much work to do.” A sinister smirk appears on his face as he holds the scepter out towards you. “Beautiful isn’t it?” 

“I suppose so…” You hesitate for a second, analyzing the look he’s giving you. 

_ Something’s changed.  _

The dark circles still remain beneath his eyes, but they’re more noticeable now. His whole demeanor has shifted. His expression, his body language. All seem more… Menacing. 

Thinking back to the strange effects that the scepter had on you, you cautiously rise from the couch, slowly inching your way towards the bookcase on the wall to your left. 

There's a baseball bat there. 

In the blink of an eye Loki is standing directly in front of you. You freeze, unable to move. He turns the scepter in his hands, admiring it silently, before raising his eyes to meet yours. 

“You do realize how weak and meager you are?” Swallowing, you hold your breath, unsure of whether to nod or shake your head. 

Loki reaches behind you, grabbing a handful of hair and yanking your head back aggressively. 

You’re forced to stare into his icy blue eyes.  _ Wait, blue?  _

“I could easily use this scepter to make you do by bidding.” Raising the scepter, he points directly at your chest.

“With but a single touch..” He moves the scepter to your face, angeling the blade flat against your cheek. His eyes narrow, studying your face carefully, taking in every detail.

“But no.” Taking a step back, he roughly releases you from his grip, removing both himself and the scepter from your body. “That wouldn’t do.”

_ How did it go from TV and takeout to… This?  _

You release the breath you were holding, eyes still locked on him.

“Worry not, my dear little mortal... I’ll return soon.” The dark haired man grins at you cruelly, tightening his grip on the scepter as a large, golden horned helmet begins appearing atop his head. 

“I promise not to let anything happen to you.” Reaching out towards you, he gently runs a thumb across your cheek.

“You do have something that  _ belongs to me  _ after all.” 

Leaving you with those words, he vanishes.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will try to start the next chapter tomorrow and hopefully get it up by the end of the coming week! :)
> 
> As always, thanks for stopping by!


	4. Moving On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You try to make sense of everything that has happened thus far.

True to his word, Loki did return.

In fact, he returned exactly three times. 

Per week.

For the next 4 weeks.

He never stayed for more than 4 hours each time though, he said he needed to _get back to his search_ and to _check on things_ \-- whatever that meant.

After he vanished the first time, you immediately sprang into action. You grabbed the baseball bat and hastily ran through your apartment, aggressively throwing open doors, closets and cupboards. You checked under the bed and behind the shower curtain.

But you found _nothing_. 

There was no one there. 

The only evidence in support of another person having been in your apartment at all was the empty plate and spoon sitting on your coffee table. 

Then again, they could have been _yours_.

You were slightly disturbed at the thought, and spent the next few hours scouring the internet, trying to find an answer to what had just happened. 

You settled on hallucination from exhaustion.

The truth is, things hadn’t been all that great after you left the CIA. 

Since the horrendous events surrounding your family's death, you chose to keep a distance from everyone. 

That meant living an endless cycle of work, home and loneliness. 

You never spent time with anyone outside of work hours. While at the hospital, you tried to be pleasant, but not so much so that others would call you anything more than a co-worker. 

But that didn’t stop people from trying to befriend you. When you first started at Bellevue, many people were curious about your past, often poking and prodding at you with questions that you weren’t ready to answer.

Instead, you’d just excuse yourself and walk away, saying you had things that needed tending to. 

In an attempt to get to know you outside of work, many of the staff invited you to their social gatherings: birthday parties, after work celebrations, _lets just go out and get drunk_ events.

But you always had an excuse. 

Eventually, the invitations dwindled until you no longer received a single one.

There was however, a new doctor from one of the other wards, Jasper. He had yet to give up. He started working at the hospital a few weeks ago and would often drop by, trying to make small talk with you. In fact, he’d asked you out for coffee a few times now, but as always, you couldn't make it.

He was a kind man, a few years older than you. He was tall and lanky, and you could tell he was nervous every time he approached to ask about your day. His curly red hair was always a mess, and his bright blue eyes, framed with thick rimmed glasses, consistently avoided your gaze whenever he spoke to you. 

He wasn’t classically handsome, not even close. But his actions were so endearing that you had been tempted to give in to his propositions on occasion.

You hadn’t though.

You couldn’t risk getting too close and having something happen to someone you cared about. 

It had been over two years since you left the CIA, but in the back of your mind, you still feared that they were watching you. 

That butchering your family wasn’t enough and that just killing you would be too easy. 

So instead, you suffered alone. 

Which, in your mind, explains the random encounter with the strange man who fell from the sky. 

You were lonely, and the lack of sleep helped conjure him up. 

At least that’s what you told yourself.

The second time you saw him again was about three days later. You were finally coming to terms with what had happened that night, when upon entering your apartment, there he was.

He was sitting on your couch in that same tight fitting leather outfit, watching TV. When he saw you, he moaned and groaned about how long he had to wait and how he desired more Midgardian food.

You were shocked. You had thought that he was a one time hallucination.

But there he was again, just as high and mighty as the first time you met him. 

You asked him why he was back, and he said something about getting away, but most importantly - _the food_. He stressed that if you were to be the future royal chef, you’d need to know what he liked and disliked.

So, contrary to what was best, you engaged. 

Cautiously at first, but with each passing week, for good or bad, you became more comfortable with his presence in your life. In fact, you began to look forward to his visits, feeling disappointed whenever you came home to an empty apartment.

You questioned your hallucination theory, however. 

He seemed real enough. 

His broad, wicked smile. 

His dark, narrowed glares. 

The way he’d run his fingers through his ebony hair with an air of confidence that you deeply admired.

Loki would appear on random days, always with that same devilish grin on his face. You did notice however, that he never returned with that wretched scepter. And that his eyes always changed from blue to green as the evening went on. Of all his tricks, changing eye colours wasn’t all that impressive. But it made you uneasy. It felt _wrong_ for some reason. You never brought it up to him though.

The two of you would either order in or cook together, then spend the next hour or so watching TV and talking. 

You wouldn’t exactly call what he did cooking though, he just passed you things now and again when your hands were full. 

He did talk though.

A lot. 

You figured if Loki _was_ real, he must be a lonely soul who had no one to talk to for centuries. 

Until now, at least.

If he _wasn’t_ real, it was just your subconscious getting out a lot of emotional baggage that was buried somewhere deep down inside of you. 

The latter made more sense to be quite honest.

Loki insisted that anything he told you could be easily wiped from your mind if he willed it. 

In fact, _you_ could be easily wiped from existence if he willed it. That was comforting. 

After the first week, Loki vaguely shared his reasons for being on Earth. 

He talked about assembling a team to help him find some special artifact that would assist in his plans of taking over the world. He assured you that if you continued to serve him well, you would be kept safe. Again, comforting.

Each time he came to visit, your mind flip flopped between thoughts of whether he was real, or merely a figment of your weary mind. 

You had missed having a connection with someone. It’s possible that subconsciously, you craved it so badly you ended up creating this Loki figure to help remedy your loneliness. 

Sure, he wasn’t perfect, but he did fill that empty hole in your heart.

Over one of the dinners during the second week, Loki used his magic to draw you a picture of Yggdrasil. 

It was beautiful, like nothing you’d ever seen before. A living, breathing image of a tree with a number of detailed portraits representing the Nine Realms -- just floating in your living room. Loki manipulated the image with the wave of his hand and described each of the realms in great detail, focusing specifically on a historic war between Asgard and Jotunheim.

That’s when he also confirmed your suspicions about Midgard being Earth. 

He glossed over his roots, something about being raised in Asgard, but having ties to Jotunheim. When you asked for more details, he had snarled, brushing you off.

Loki described the city of Asgard fondly, he talked about the tall sprawling buildings, the golden palace, the Bifrost Bridge that linked the different realms. It all sounded very grandiose. You weren’t sure, but you thought you detected a hint of longing as he spoke of the mystical place.

“It sounds amazing! I wish I could see it for myself.” You had exclaimed in awe.

Loki had paused, eyes roaming your face as the image of Asgard wavered for a moment. 

“Perhaps. If you’re lucky.” Clearing his throat and returning his gaze to the illusion he added, “Though it is highly unlikely they’d let a mortal into Asgard.” 

By the end of week two, all you had shared so far involved incidents that happened at work. You were honestly surprised when Loki would sit and listen with interest while munching on his food as you recalled the drama between two nurses who had started dating on and off again multiple times. You also talked about the different medical procedures you helped with during the week, Loki never failed to scoff and proclaim how inferior human methods of healing were.

By the end of the third week he shared with you his life growing up. 

He spoke fondly of his mother, Frigga. How she had helped him harness his magical abilities. Mentions of his father brought on a slight tone of bitterness as Loki recalled the bias Odin had towards his older brother, Thor. He claimed to have always lived in his brother's shadow, even though Thor was a _less than intelligent sack of meat_ as he put it. 

He spoke of Heimdall and the Warriors Three, a devious smile had crossed his face when he reminisced about the tricks he would play on them, or his ability to so easily pull the wool over their eyes. 

You loved listening to him weave his tall tales, regardless of whether they were true or not. And Loki clearly enjoyed relishing in his mischievous misdeeds. 

Inspired by his openness, you also shared your childhood with him. The fact that you were never able to meet the expectations of your parents, the affair and how it shattered your thoughts and feelings towards your mother. You had actually been quite close to your mother, regardless of the way she treated you. But after the affair, all respect was lost and you distanced yourself further from her.

Loki had listened carefully, assuring you that he knew how you felt, as he too grew up never being good enough in his father’s eyes.

As you revealed your family’s untimely death, you saw a hint of pity in his eyes. 

“If you want revenge, you are more than capable of it.” Was his response.

But you didn’t. 

“I would be more than happy to come along and participate... I do pride myself for relishing in such things.” Feeling slightly uneasy, you had decided to change the subject and lighten the mood by asking which meal he’d enjoyed most thus far.

He couldn’t decide. 

During the fourth week he revealed to you his true origin. 

How he was not born Asgardian, but actually a Jotun -- a Frost Giant. He circled back to the stories of the war between the two realms and explained how Odin had taken him and raised him as his own. Loki explained that he was the true son of Laufey, King of Jotunheim, thus making it his birthright to be king.

You had almost dropped your glass of wine in shock when his eyes turned bright red and his skin blue. You had to stop and remind yourself that this was no stranger than the floating images he had conjured, or the fact that he fell from the sky. 

On his final visit of week four, Loki told you all about what had happened before his arrival on Earth.

He went into detail about helping the Frost Giants enter Asgard to reclaim the Casket of Ancient Winters, attacking Jotunheim, his brother's banishment to Earth, and how he had tried to destroy Jotunheim in order to finally get his fathers approval. 

In case this really was all in your mind, you had silently given yourself an applaud for giving Loki such a vibrant background story.

He didn’t speak of how he came to possess the scepter or why he had chosen to take over Earth. But you didn’t ask, you had come to realize that Loki only shared what he was ready to. 

You had that in common.

Before Loki left that night, a thought slipped your mind.

“Why have you shared so much with me?”

He had paused, a look of confusion forming on his face. 

“I suppose it’s because I feel… ” His brows knit together in deep thought. You saw his face twist and turn as he struggled to find an answer.

After a moment, he straightened, looking down at you condescendingly as he gave a typical reply.

“As an immortal god, it is my duty to enlighten more lowly, ignorant mortals, such as yourself.” Clearing his throat, he had turned his back to you.

It was always like that. 

He was like a complicated puzzle, one you couldn’t quite solve yet.

Before fading away that evening, he concluded by reminding you that all he had shared with you was in confidence and that you were a disposable, little mortal. One he could easily be rid of if you were to ever break his trust. 

Honestly, you doubt anyone would believe any of this.

When a week went by and he hadn’t returned, you were certain it had all been in your head. The threats he made were meant to keep you from making a fool of yourself or getting locked away. 

He was a reflection of yourself. 

He was lonely, whether he knew it or not, he yearned for someone to share himself with. 

But only when he was ready. 

Just like you. 

Maybe you _are_ ready.

Loki had shown you how truly enjoyable it could be to have someone in your life again.

That night, you fell asleep thinking of all the time you’d spent with him.

You recalled Loki’s re-telling of a childhood experience. Of how he had once transformed himself into a snake to scare his older brother when they were children. 

The story had been so preposterous that you couldn’t help but laugh and accuse him of telling false tales.

The next time he came to visit, he played the same trick on you, slithering towards you as you stood backed up against the living room wall screaming. Just before reaching you, he turned back into his Asgardian form, an “I told you so!” grin across his face and a threatening dagger in his hand, just to prove a point. 

You had hit him across the arm before stomping away angrily. He just laughed.

You recalled how you had shed a single tear while sharing your harsh childhood experiences. How he had silently wiped that tear away.

They were nice memories.

Even if they weren’t real.

\---

Three more weeks have passed since that night.

Loki hadn’t returned.

Every time you came home from work, you expected to see him standing in your hallway, tutting at you with a disappointed tone.

But he never was.

As another week came to an end and Loki still hadn’t reappeared, you decided to close that chapter of your life, concluding once and for all that _none of it had been real_. 

It really had been your mind's way of telling you that two years of loneliness was enough and that you didn’t need to be alone anymore.

That you should open up.

That you _deserve_ a friend, a companion.

A _real_ one.

And that night three weeks ago, when you finally deciphered the message, Loki was no longer needed.

You understood now. 

It was time to let yourself be happy.

So when the awkward doctor dropped by to visit you on his break and ask his usual question, you said yes. 

He was pleasantly surprised, and the two of you made lunch plans for the weekend.

So that’s where you are now. 

It’s a Saturday afternoon, over two months after that strange incident, and you're out at a local diner having lunch with Dr. Jasper.

It’s a casual outing, nothing fancy. Nonetheless, it feels nice to be out. The sun is shining brightly through the large glass windows and you’re relishing in it, taking in the rays willingly. A definite upgrade from hanging around in PJs with an imaginary friend.

Jasper has successfully tamed his messy red mane and is wearing a dark blue button up shirt with beige khakis. He seems much more comfortable when it is just the two of you, outside of the work environment. 

“How’s the food?” He looks over at you from his giant plate of burger and fries.

“It’s great! I haven’t been out in a while… “ You shyly smile at him. “So this is a nice treat.” 

_He’s a nice guy. I’m having a good time._

Jasper talks about his family, he has two sisters and a brother. He isn’t too close to them, since they’re living on the other side of the country, but he still tries to see them over the holidays.

He asks about your family, seeming sincerely sorry when you tell him that they’ve passed away.

It’s interesting listening to Jasper. 

Well, not quite as interesting as listening to Loki, but it isn’t comparable.

At least Jasper has _real_ stories to tell.

About _real_ things that have happened to him. 

You aren’t quite ready to delve into your past just yet, but Jasper seems to understand.

He steers the conversation to more neutral topics and you learn that he enjoys the same genres of music and movies as you. 

The rest of the date is pleasant, just some casual conversation over a warm meal. Nothing too exciting, but it isn’t bad either. You find your mind drifting off to thoughts of Loki from time to time though, having to silence them and remind yourself to focus on the moment. On Jasper.

After the food has been polished off and the conversation has died down, Jasper insists on walking you home.

Fifteen minutes later, and there you both are, standing outside your apartment on the fifth floor. 

“Well… Thank you for a nice time.” You clear your throat. You aren’t quite comfortable with the idea of giving him a kiss or even hugging him to be honest. So instead you stand there, feeling awkward.

“I’m glad.” He replies, fidgeting with his glasses.

“Well.. I’ll see you at work?” You take out your keys and prepare to unlock the door.

“Yes, definitely.” With a small wave and a smile he makes his way down the hall and you watch him go.

Unlocking the door to your apartment, you step inside, closing it behind you. Hanging up your coat and dropping your purse on the floor, you sigh. _Well, that wasn’t so bad!_

_Jasper is patient and kind. A little boring maybe, but perhaps that’s what I need.._

Loki had been the opposite, so full of chaotic passion...

Checking your watch, you realize that it’s barely 15:15. You decide that there is enough time to get some chores done before settling down and relaxing for the rest of the day.

As you’re about to remove your shoes, there is a rap at the door. 

_Who could that be?_

You peek through the peephole to see Jasper. He’s nervously messing with his hair.

You unlock and open the door, wondering if he had forgotten something. 

“Hey again.” Holding the door open a little wider, you throw on a fake smile.

Jasper’s hand shifts downward from his hair and he begins fiddling with his glasses while avoiding your gaze. 

“I don’t mean to be a bother..” His cheeks flush a deep red as he shyly lifts his eyes to meet yours.

“I just didn’t want to leave without securing another--” 

He stops abruptly. 

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had company.” Nervously wringing at his hands, his gaze drifts behind you.

_Wait, what?_

Peering over your shoulder, you catch a glimpse of pure displeasure from the icy blue eyes of an all-too-familiar dark haired man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a quite a long chapter and it took me a while to decide that it was good enough to post.
> 
> I'm not sure how I feel about it... I don't quite feel satisfied with it, but maybe it's something I can come back to and improve on in the future. 
> 
> Anyway, I'm looking forward to writing the upcoming ones! I'll try to get the next one up sometime next week, otherwise the week after.
> 
> As always, thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it. :)


	5. The Gala

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would recommend you have an audio streaming provider ready to play the song mentioned when appropriate as it adds to the ambiance of that particular scene :)

That face.

Those eyes. 

You can’t believe it.

He’s here.

He’s real.

Jasper just confirmed it.

Oh wait.

Jasper.

The Asgardian’s eyes linger on you for a second longer before flicking over to the man in the doorway.

“Who is...  _ This  _ ?”

“I, uh-- I’m Jasper. Nice to meet you.” Jasper extends a hand, gaze nervously darting between the two of you.

Loki cocks an eyebrow, an unimpressed look crossing his face as he glances down at the bony fingers extended his way.

“I think not.” Shaking his head in disgust, he ignores the friendly gesture, looking back towards you.

“Deal with him. I’ve more important things on my mind today.” Letting out an exasperated sigh he turns, disappearing further into your apartment.

_ Knowing Loki… That probably went as well as I could have hoped. _

Clearing your throat, a faint smile plays on your lips as you turn your attention back to the doctor. 

“I’m sorry…” You’re struggling with a mixture of emotions at seeing Loki again. “He’s um-- a bit dramatic.”

“I understand… “ Jasper has a disappointed look in his eyes as he scans your face.

“You have some unresolved business with your ex, right?” He chuckles awkwardly. 

_ Wait, what? _

You give him a puzzled look as he continues.

“Just… Be careful, okay?” Giving you a weary nod, he reaches over and gently squeezes your arm. “He seems.. Well..” Hesitating for a moment, his hand retreats. “Just know that, if you ever need anything, I’m here for you.” 

Flashing a disheartened smile your way, Jasper turns, trudging down the corridor towards the elevators.

Stunned, you slowly close the door, locking it behind you. You stare at it blankly, a million thoughts racing through your mind.

_ My ex? _

_ What was that all about? _

_ Loki is... _

_ A friend. _

Though you highly doubt the Asgardian would use that term to describe  _ you _ , he’d made it clear on multiple occasions that you were useful to him, that’s why he kept you around.

But, you are friends. 

Close friends even, considering how much you’ve opened up to each other recently.

Nothing more though.

You decide that perhaps Jasper was just intimidated by Loki’s presence and jumped to illogical conclusions. You’d clear it up with him the next day at work.

However, the fact that Loki isn’t a figment of your imagination, brings up a number of other questions. 

_ Does that mean what he’s been saying this whole time is true?  _

_ Where he comes from. _

_ What he’s been through and all he’s done. _

_ It would explain a lot.. But what about his adamant plan of taking over Earth? _

You’d have to ask him about that later.

The sound of quiet murmuring interrupts your troubled thoughts and leads you into the living room, where you find Loki gazing at himself in a floating mirror.

He seems to have conjured up the mirror in order to inspect his outfit. He is muttering to himself, though you can’t quite catch what he’s saying.

You do notice that he isn't in his usual outfit though.

Today he is sporting  _ Midgardian _ attire, as he would put it. 

A black, three piece suit with a white button up shirt and a black tie. His jacket falls just above the knee and his raven coloured hair is slicked back neatly. He has a long satin scarf slung over his shoulders. The golden scarf is decorated with fascinating brown shapes, along with two blocky crosses, one on each end, coloured in his signature green.

Loki tugs at his sleeves and runs a hand over his slicked back hair before noticing you in the reflection.

Dramatically, he turns towards you, arms wide.

“How do I look?” 

Ignoring his question entirely, you cross the room, planting yourself directly in front of him.

“Where have you been?” Your tone is that of a parent, discipling her child. “You’ve been gone for over a month!” Placing your hands on your hips, you glare up into his emerald eyes.

Loki raises an amused eyebrow as he looks down at you.

“ _ I  _ have been preparing for tonight.” Reaching out, he teasingly pats the side of your face.

“Why? Has my little mortal  _ missed  _ me?”

Scoffing, you push his hand away as an amused grin spreads across his face.

“Odd. I would have thought your little Midgardian boy--” 

“He’s a coworker!” You interject haughtily, arms dropping to your side in an irritated manner. “Nothing more.”

“Oh, I didn’t say he was.” A smirk plays on his lips, he reaches out to grip your chin with the tips of his fingers. “Though you really should avoid such distractions. I don’t want some feeble Midgardian boy getting in the way of your duties towards me...”

You sigh, rolling your eyes. 

There he goes again with that nonsense. 

Or… 

_ Is it nonsense? Does he actually mean what he’s saying? _

He tips your head upwards, analyzing every inch of your face

“You’ve been such a good little mortal during my time here on Earth..” Angling your head this way and that, he runs his eyes over every inch of your body. “You’ll be getting a front row seat at tonight’s performance.”

“Stop that!” You slap his hand away from your face, frustration building inside. 

This isn’t playing out how you’d expected. 

_ What happened to TV shows and takeout? _

“My, my, aren’t we spirited today?” A pleased grin crosses his face.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have time to delve deeper into this  _ exciting  _ new side of you.” Loki sets his hands on your shoulders, positioning you in front of the hovering mirror.

“There’s a special event we must get to, and what you're wearing... It just won’t do.” With a lazy wave of his hand, a green aura envelops you entirely, before quickly dissolving away.

Your eyes widen as you stare into the reflection.

An elegant black evening gown hugs your body. 

The off shoulder dress tightens around your midsection before gently flowing downward, stopping just short of touching the ground. The thigh high slit on the left side of the dress hides just enough leg to still be classy. On your feet are a pair of black stiletto pumps. 

Loki gazes at your reflection thoughtfully.

“Hm.” He frowns, tapping his fingers gently against his chin. “Something’s not quite right…”

“How did you--” Before you can finish, Loki’s face lights up.

“Ah! Got it.” With a snap of his fingers, the dress instantly changes colour -- from black to green -- to match the shade found on his scarf. Your black shoes now have an intricate golden lace embroidery on the sides as well. 

This colour scheme was all too familiar.

“Perfect.” Spinning you around, he eyes you proudly as the mirror quickly dissipates.

You look down at your new wardrobe, feeling a little embarrassed.

This is strange. 

Not that time spent with Loki was ever really normal, but it usually consisted of comfort food and lounging around at home. Never getting dressed up in formal wear. 

“What’s going on?” You look up at him, an expression of pure confusion on your face. “It’s the middle of the afternoon, where are we going dressed up like this?”

“You’ll see.” A menacing grin spreads across his face as he pulls you close, wrapping an arm around your waist and placing a gentle hand on the back of your head.

“Close your eyes.” You feel his warm breath brush across your cheek as he barks the command at you. “This might be uncomfortable the first few times.” 

Hesitantly, you lay a hand on each of his shoulders, giving in and allowing him to position your head on chest.

Ear pressed against him, you listen to the calming beat of his heart, each breath filling your nostrils with his scent.

Musky earth. 

Wood. 

_ Fire _ . 

There is a hint of sweetness as well. 

Vanilla? 

You close your eyes, thinking back to the summer nights spent in your family's backyard, building large bonfires with friends while eating vanilla ice cream from crunchy waffle cones.

His scent is warm and comforting. 

Reminding you of simpler times.

How ironic, considering his presence in your life has arguably had the opposite effect.

An unusual feeling suddenly pulsates through you, ripping you from your thoughts. Squeezing your eyes tighter, you clutch onto the lapels of Loki’s jacket, a sharp pain quickly traveling from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet as you feel the ground disappear from beneath you.

Then, before you can even fully register what had happened, it was all over.

You’re on solid ground again, left with only a slight tingling sensation that passes quickly.

It felt like you had been ripped apart -- atom by atom, particle by particle -- at an unimaginable speed, then re-assembled.  _ But how?  _

You decide that there’s no point in questioning Loki’s magical abilities. It was obvious now, that all those stories he told must have been true. 

He  _ is  _ some kind of immortal god.

“Wasn’t so bad, yes?” Loki grabs at your hands, prying them off his jacket before gently shoving you away as he re-adjusts his suit.

Stumbling back, you lean against a nearby wall to regain your balance, eyes widening in shock as you realize that you’re no longer at home.

The architecture of the building you’re in is magnificent. Everything is made of white marble. The railings, the walls, the floor. There are sweeping columns, high walls and domed ceilings. Large murals of, what you guess are pieces of European art from the Gothic period, decorate certain parts of the wall. Even some of the large windows display colourful masterpieces via the crafting of stained glass. 

You muse at the thought that perhaps he has taken you to a fancy gala or charity event as an apology for being gone for so long. 

Or more likely, that perhaps this was all an illusion and you were still standing in the middle of your living room. 

Suddenly, your thoughts are interrupted by a familiar harmony.

_ Schubert: String Quartet No. 13. _

The playing of that song was an integral part of your team’s ritual before each and every mission.

It helped you focus, sharpened your senses.

Closing your eyes and taking a deep breath, you let the beautiful melody fill your mind, body and soul. 

Though the song had been a comfort to you in the past, in this particular moment, it created a feeling of uneasiness.

Something felt  _ off _ . 

Although the idea of Loki taking you here as an apology for his absence was amusing, it isn’t something he would do. 

That means you’re here for another reason. But what?

Straightening, you catch a glimpse of Loki from the corner of your eye. He beckons you close and you abide, noticing that he has a golden cane clutched in his right hand, the glowing blue orb at its handle adding to your uneasy feeling.

As you approach, Loki reaches out, intertwining his fingers through yours as he guides you down the marble hallway.

“Where are we?” You whisper quietly as he stops to peer over the banister.

The room below houses a number of large marble pillars decorating the tall entryways leading outside, long red carpets guide the guests into the main area.

On the far left hand side of the room, a string quartet sits, gracefully playing their instruments as elegantly dressed guests socialize amongst themselves. On the far right hand side of the room, an older gentleman seems to be giving a speech atop a small podium. An altar-like structure with two bull heads, one on each end, sits in the centre of the room. Guards are scattered throughout the venue, taking their positions next to entryways and by the podium.

“Stuttgart, Germany.” He turns to you, a twinkle in his eye. 

“We’re here for the guest of honor, Heinrich Schäfer.” The blue gem on his cane glows more menacingly than before and you feel a shiver rush through your body.

“Wait, what? Why?” Loki tightens his grip on your hand and continues towards the winding marble staircase that leads directly behind the speaker.

“So many questions!” Hand in hand, you descend the main stairway together as guests begin to take notice, eyeing the pair of you curiously.

As you approach the bottom, Loki playfully tosses his cane into the air, catching it by the lower shaft, his eyes dart towards the security guard on the left. As the man turns to protest your arrival, Loki steps in front of you, swiftly striking the guard square in the face with his cane.

You gasp in horror, eyes wide as he releases you from his grip, places a hand on your back and aggressively shoves you into the crowd.

“Be a dear and grab us some drinks while I work, won’t you?”

You quickly regain your footing as a number of guests come to your aid.

All eyes are locked on Loki. 

He saunters up to the speaker, violently grabbing at the back of his neck and dragging him over to the bull structure. The crowd backs away, tensely watching the scene play out before them. 

That must be Heinrich Schäfer.

Using one hand, he flips the man over onto the altar, Schäfer is lying face up with the cane pressing down on his chest. Reaching into his jacket, Loki pulls out a strange contraption that opens to reveal three prongs all spaced out evenly. As the middle portion of the contraption begins to whir, Loki instantly impales it into Schäfer's left eye.

The crowd erupts in terror, the men and women around you begin pushing towards the large open doorways in an attempt to escape the gruesome act before them.

You don’t move.

You’re in shock. 

You watch as Loki’s cold blue eyes dart around the room, a small, deranged grin plays on his lips as he takes in the chaos around him.

A moment later the contraption is removed and Loki places it back into his jacket, returning to your side. He aggressively grabs your upper arm, fingers tightly coiling around your soft flesh.

“Forget the drinks, the crowd awaits!”

As you leave the venue, a golden shimmer surrounds him and his clothes return to the familiar black, green and golden leather outfit, together with a long green cape. His arms and shoulders are also decorated with gold plating, matching the horned helmet on his head. 

You also notice that the cane from before has transformed back into its original form -- that appalling scepter he had with him when he fell from the sky.

You have no idea what to do. 

You should probably scream. Probably run.

Maybe even fight.

Yet, you don’t.

You silently follow as Loki drags you along behind him, using the scepter to destroy anything that gets in his way.

You watch as countless people pour out onto the streets, their shrieks echoing throughout the city. 

As you approach a crowd attempting to flee the chaos, you notice that Loki is now across from you, on the other side of the mass. 

He’s also to your left. 

And to your right. 

Yet, here he is as well, still clutching onto you. 

_ He must be creating clones to keep these people at bay. _

_ What will he do if they refuse to obey him?  _

This was the first time you’d seen such destruction from him.

“Kneel before me.” He orders, as more clones continue to appear until the people trapped inside the area are too frightened to break free. The crowd does not listen to his command though, and you can tell he is getting frustrated as he lets go of your arm and raises his scepter, slamming it violently into the ground, his clones mirroring his actions.

“I said.. Kneel!” The crowd freezes as each and every person begins to slowly drop down onto their knees.

Loki walks proudly amongst the crowd, giving some sort of speech to the mass of people in front of him.

You aren’t listening though, you’re too lost in thought.

_ He’s taking over Earth. Just like he said he would. _

_ He had just killed someone. _

Multiple people, if you include the cars he blew up using that scepter.

_ This isn’t the Loki I know. The Loki I know, is playful and mischievous, but not capable of this. _

Your eyes scan the crowd, taking in the fear found on each and every face before you.

_ Is he? _

_ Do I really even know him? _

_ Of course I do, he opened up and shared his life with me. _

_ This isn't him. _

You suspect that the scepter and its glowing blue orb have something to do with all of this, as you recall the feelings you had when you first laid hands on it.  _ I have to help him snap out of it. _

Returning to the moment at hand, you realize that an elderly man is standing up in defiance of Loki’s orders.

“Look to your elder, people.” As Loki raises his staff, pointing it at the man, you urgently push through the crowd towards him. “Let him be an example.”

“Loki, stop!” Dropping a firm hand on his arm in an attempt to get him to lower the weapon, you look up at him pleadingly. “This isn’t you!”

At your touch, he hesitates, turning towards you. His expression softens and you’re almost certain that there’s a hint of green in his eyes before the blue fully invades once again.

“Oh, my dear little mortal.” He shakes his head in dismay, eyes locked onto yours. 

“Don’t you see? This  _ is  _ me… The best of me. Amplified and put on display for the world to see!” He raises his arms high into the air, relishing in the moment as the onlookers watch anxiously.

“I had really hoped  _ you  _ of all people would understand.” He sighs. 

“How disappointing.” Suddenly, an invisible force grips at your neck, raising you off the ground.

Instinctively, your hands dart up in an attempt to pry off whatever is constricting your airways -- but nothing’s there. 

“I’ll deal with you later.” Loki sneers as he turns his attention back to the crowd.

“Don’t do this..” You whimper quietly as your eyes begin to water and the tightness around your throat intensifies.

Just before your senses completely slip away, you manage to catch a blurry glimpse of something red, white and blue rushing towards you.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> The upcoming chapter will have you meeting quite a few new people.
> 
> However, I have finals in 2 weeks and feel completely lost and worried, so I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up. Hopefully I can manage to finish one more chapter before my exams start.
> 
> As always, thanks for taking the time to read :)


	6. The Avengers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I fail my exams I blame this fic.
> 
> And my lack of self control. It's just so much more fun to write this than study! :(
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoy! :)

Blinding Lights.

The first thing you see when your heavy eyelids flutter open.

With a loud groan, you push into an upright position, rubbing the sleep from your weary eyes while taking in your surroundings. 

You’re still wearing the dress and heels from earlier, sitting atop an examination table in what looks like a doctor’s office. 

Head throbbing, you swing your legs over the table, fingers gently massaging at your temples. 

_The last thing I remember is the blur of colours._

Before you can take the time to further process the earlier events, the doors before you slide open as a tall, dark gentleman strides into the room. He approaches the table in a confident manner, folding his arms across his chest while carefully eyeing you up and down. 

The man is fully clad in black, from pants and shoes, to shirt and leather jacket. Most notably, there is a leather eyepatch secured across his left eye. You can see a number of tiny scars peeking out from underneath. 

As he speaks your name, a puzzled look crosses your face. 

_I’m certain I’ve never met this man before, how does he know me?_

“Feeling better?” He offers you the black hoodie in his right hand. “Put this on, it’s a little chilly in here.”

Hesitantly, you take the sweater and place it around your shoulders, thanking him in the process.

“Name’s Nick Fury, but you can just call me Fury.” He turns, striding out the door with an air of purpose as he peers over his shoulder, beckoning you to follow. “I’m director of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division -- also known as S.H.I.E.L.D.”

You hop off the table, silently trailing behind the authoritative figure. The corridors are full of hustle and bustle as numerous individuals dressed in blue jumpsuits scurry past. 

“Now, I’m sure you’re wondering why you’re here.” As you approach a large open doorway, he stops, turning back towards you. His tone is light and comforting as he continues.

“There’s no real need to worry. My colleagues and I just want to speak with you about what happened at Stuttgart.” A serious look crosses his face, eyes hardening and lips tightening. “We believe you to be a victim of Loki’s terror. But there are some irregularities we’d like cleared up.” 

He steps through the doorway and you quickly follow, eyes taking in every inch of the immensely large area ahead. 

The first thing you notice are the clouds gently soaring by at the far end of the room where a series of rectangular windows give a perfect view outward. 

There is a distinct symbol scattered throughout the area. It decorates the walls, along with the jumpsuits worn by most of the people in the room. The symbol has a dark blueish black background, with a light blue eagle at its centre, surrounded by a circle of tiny stars. 

_That must be the S.H.I.E.L.D seal._

Agents are situated throughout, working diligently on their screens, both in a lower and upper area to where you are currently standing. To your slight left is a large glass table, where a number of people are gathered, some standing, others sitting. 

Fury walks you over to the table and offers you a seat next to a red haired woman. She seems put off by your presence and has a serious expression on her face as she analyzes you carefully.

As you settle yourself down on the large leather chair, you glance around the table and immediately recognize the brown haired man with the anchor beard and disconnected mustache. 

_Billionaire industrialist, Tony Stark._

_AKA: Iron Man._

His intense gaze immediately meets yours as he raises an eyebrow curiously.

“Sleeping Beauty has finally decided to grace us with her presence!” Clapping slowly, he makes his way towards you, setting a firm hand on your shoulder as the attention of those around the table moves to you. 

“Let’s get on with this, shall we? Some quick introductions.” Tony points to himself. 

“Tony Stark, genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist and... Iron Man.” He flashes you a cheeky grin.

“Next up, we have the great Captain America.” Tony enthusiastically gestures towards the man across from you. “He’s the one who heroically saved you from inevitable death by invisible strangulation.” 

The man before you is well-built and classically handsome. He has kind blue eyes and neat blonde hair. You can’t help but notice that he’s wearing a rather tight, overly nationalistic outfit. 

_Red, white and blue._

“Ma’am.’” He stands, politely reaching a hand over to greet you. “Steve Rogers -- Steve is fine.”

“Thank you” You rise, taking his hand in yours, shaking it firmly. “For earlier.” 

“Just doing my job.” He gives you a warm smile as you reveal your name. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Moving on then, we have the lovely, but deadly -- Black Widow.” Tony points finger guns at the woman seated next to you.

Her penetrating green eyes meet yours as she cocks an eyebrow, slightly nodding her head in acknowledgement. She’s wearing a tight black jumpsuit and her shiny red hair is styled in a neat, wavy bob.

You send a tentative smile her way, squeaking out a greeting before settling back down in your seat.

Hesitantly, one of the other men approaches you. 

“Hi there, I’m Dr. Banner. Er-- Bruce.” Banner is wearing a dark purple button up shirt and holds a pair of frameless glasses in his hands as he approaches, eyeing your neck curiously. “Are you alright by the way? I was watching what happened and it looked painful.” He places the glasses on the bridge of his nose, squinting as he attempts to examine you more thoroughly. “Doesn’t seem to be any--”

“ _Ahem!_ ” Startled by the _thundering_ interjection, your attention is immediately drawn to a large, burly man. He makes his way closer, blue eyes studying you intently. 

“ _I_ am _Thor Odinson_!”

Without thinking, your gaze wanders across his body, noting the long blond hair, rugged beard, strange metal outfit, and finally -- his large, muscular arms. As you realize he’s noticed your stare, your eyes immediately drop to the table, a knowing look crossing his face. 

_Wait a second. Thor Odinson?_

Furtively peering up from the table, you realize he’s looking at you with a rather amused grin on his face. 

_He’s Loki’s brother?! They look nothing alike. Complete opposites even._

“It’s quite alright mortal, I get that alot.” He looks around the room arrogantly as a half smile appears on his face. “I am quite the impressive Asgardian specimen after all.”

Fury clears his throat, drawing everyone’s attention towards him as he approaches the table, arms crossed.

“Now that _that_ ’s out of the way…” His intense brown eyes drop to meet yours. We’d like to know how exactly you came to be in Stuttgart. With Loki.” Everyone’s gaze is locked on you. “In particular,” Fury continues, “Why were you exempt from following his commands?” 

“He means, why weren’t you _kneeling_ ? You know, when Loki was all like ‘ _Kneel_ !’” Tony aggressively shakes his fists upwards in an attempt at imitating the God of Mischief. “And everyone kneeled. But not _you_.” A look of suspicion mixed with curiosity slides across his face.

“I.. He.. I know it sounds crazy, but I think he used teleportation to bring me to Stuttgart.” You frown, eyes trained on the table. 

“It actually doesn’t sound crazy at all.” Your eyes dart to Banner as he confirms your suspicions. “It’s highly likely in fact. He's capable of much more.”

The others look around at each other knowingly.

“Why you?” Thor paces back and forth in thought, muscles flexing as he raises a hand to his chin. “I know him not to keep the company of mortals.” He eyes you up and down. “Unless you are useful to him in some way?”

_I suppose so, if you count cooking him food or ordering him takeout._

There is a quiet murmuring amongst the group as they try to understand the situation between you and Loki.

“It’s nothing like _that_.” You quickly clarify, just in case their minds are wandering towards unholy thoughts. 

You take a deep breath and begin retelling the events of the past two months.

The giant swirling cloud.

Loki falling onto your balcony.

Nursing him back to health. 

How ungrateful he was.

His visits, on and off.

You don’t reveal the specific details of what Loki had shared with you during that month. Even if he hadn’t threatened you, you wouldn’t have told them. Those were private discussions, just between the two of you. You certainly wouldn’t want him going around telling people what you’d shared. 

But you did tell them about how he’d come and eat, and watch TV. 

And of his month long absence, before suddenly reappearing and taking you to Stuttgart. 

The rest they all knew too well. 

Upon finishing your re-telling of past events, the group is silent, staring at you in disbelief. Only the quiet murmur of agents chatting amongst themselves and the clickety clack of their keyboards fills the room.

“That is not possible.” Thor breaks the localized silence, shaking his head in disbelief. “My brother has no... Friends. No companions.”

As you begin to protest, a woman approaches, handing Fury a folder. She is dressed in a navy blue jumpsuit, dark brown hair clipped back neatly as she turns a friendly smile your way. 

“Maria Hill. Nice to meet you.” You return the smile and nod slightly as she takes her place behind Fury, leaning casually against the railing.

Fury drops the folder marked **CONFIDENTIAL** onto the table.

“Assuming everything you’ve told us so far is indeed true... We believe you could be of help to us.” He places his palms flat on the glass, eyes swiftly moving from person to person until they land on you. 

“Not only because of your seemingly… _Unique_ connection to Loki. But because of this.” He taps a finger on the file, pushing it towards you.

Hesitantly, you reach out, opening the folder to find a stack of papers. 

All about you.

The first page has your picture on it, along with some basic personal information. The accompanying pages detail your previous experiences working with the CIA.

“Codename: _Violet Spectre_.” Fury proclaims loudly as you place a hand to your forehead, shielding your eyes in anticipation of what is inevitably about to come. 

_Oh no…_

“Working with the CIA for 8 years, you were one of the most elite covert operatives.” 

“I’m just a nurse now.” You clarify quickly.

Shooting a deathly glare your way, Fury ignores your statement and continues. 

“Skilled in military and tactical operations, intelligence and surveillance, espionage, hand to hand combat, explosive weaponry... The list goes on and on.” 

“Useful skills.” A thoughtful expression crosses Banner’s face as a hand comes up to rest upon his chin. 

Steve firmly says your name and your attention is drawn to him.

“Loki is planning on leading an alien army to Earth.” A small area on the table in front of you flicks on, displaying a video feed of Loki in a glass cell. His hands are neatly folded behind his back as he paces back and forth patiently. “I know you may have had some… Friendly interactions with him. But he’s made it clear that his intentions are hostile. Help us stop him.”

You sigh, hand sliding up off your forehead as you stare down at the screen. 

“I haven’t done anything other than stitch up wounds in over two years…” 

_Not necessarily true._

_I still engage in training twice a week to keep my skills from deteriorating, but.._

“I really don’t know how much help I could be to you.” Your eyes are still locked on the screen, curiously watching Loki’s every move. 

“You two have some kind of connection.” Natasha’s gaze is intensely focused on you. “I watched the footage of what happened. When you tried to stop him. He hesitated. If you could just get to him somehow--”

“I tried! It didn’t work!” Frustration rings through your words as you recall how useless you had been as Loki terrorized all those innocent people. “What makes you think it’d be any different this time?” 

“Listen Vi, can I call you Vi? I’m gonna call you Vi -- we’ve been discussing this for hours while you were taking your little nap.” You shoot him a puzzled look as he continues. 

“At best, you use…” Tony motions a hand casually towards the file on the table. “ _Those_ skills to help us. And at worst.. Well, you distract him long enough for us to get the job done.” He shrugs casually. “What's the big deal?”

_You’re asking me to risk my life going up against some magical being from another realm. That’s kind of a big deal._

As you continue to contemplate your decision, the video feed of Loki changes. 

Instead, you see a giant metal creature, stomping through, what looks like a small desert town. Lasers emit from its face, destroying cars and buildings as people run away screaming in terror. Just as they had in Stuttgart.

“ _That_ is Loki. His actions.” Thor’s voice is tense, you can see the large veins in his neck protruding as he speaks. “My brother sent the Destroyer down to Earth in an attempt to kill me. He didn’t care who he had to hurt in the process.” He points towards the screen. “Innocent people.” Your gaze slowly raises from the screen to meet his icy cold glare. 

“I don’t know what it is you think you know about my brother, but he is dangerous. And he needs to be stopped. Before it’s too late.” 

Loki hadn’t mentioned anything about a giant metal monster when he told you about his brother’s banishment. 

_Maybe there’s still more for me to learn about him._

The screen turns off.

“You’d be helping to protect innocent lives.” The mild-mannered Dr. Banner chims in.

You sigh, glancing over to Fury. His eyes are trained on you in anticipation.

“I’ll help. As best I can.”

Personal feelings aside, you can’t sit idly by and watch him go around terrorizing people the way he did in Stuttgart. 

“I’m going to need my stuff though.” 

Natasha grins, the first friendly expression you’ve seen from her, as she reaches under the table, pulling up a large duffle bag and dropping it in front of you. 

“Gotcha covered.” You stare at it in shock. 

That duffle bag had been hidden behind a loose floorboard, deep in the back of your closet. No one knew about it. You kept much of your gear from two years ago in there, stashing it just in case any of your old enemies ever came knocking. 

“How did you--”

“You’re not the only experienced operative here.” She winks. “Come, I’ll find you a place to change.” Nodding in agreement, you lift the bag off the table, heading for the door.

“Hey Vi, one more thing.” Tony eyes you suspiciously. 

“My name’s--”

“Yea, yea I got it. But I like Vi -- short for _Violet Spectre_.” He wiggles his eyebrows at you playfully while enunciating those last two words. “Speaking of, the spectre part of your alias, I get. But what’s with the violet part?”

Sighing, you drop the bag back down onto the table. Tugging it open, you dig around until your fingers grasp at a metal scabbard. Pulling it out, you reveal a silver dagger, on the end of its hilt is a shiny purple gemstone.

“My dad gave this to me when I got accepted into the CIA.” You frown, removing the dagger from its sheath as the sound of metal on metal sings through the air. “He told me that the world’s a dangerous place.” Your eyes narrow as you recall the memory. “To keep this with me as protection.” 

Reaching into your bag once more, you pull out a number of other compact pieces of weaponry, all decorated with your signature colour in some way or another. “I guess it kind of just stuck.”

“Sentimental.” Tony raises an eyebrow approvingly. “I like it.”

\---

After leaving the others behind, Natasha brings you to a private room. Here, you’re able to get changed and speak to each other on a more personal level. 

Although her exterior had been rather cold and distant earlier, she seems to have relaxed at being alone with you, now radiating an aura of friendliness as she describes each and every member of the team you’d met earlier. As she moves onto those you’d most likely be working with in the field, you take mental notes on each of them.

Thor comes from another realm, has supernatural abilities and is an immortal much like his brother. He also wields a hammer called Mjolnir that only he can lift. 

_Another Prince of Asgard. The older of two princes._

Banner turns green, getting unnaturally large and strong when angered. He’s known as Hulk when that happens. She warns you to be careful, as there is potential for him to become extremely aggressive and completely lose control in that form. 

_Definitely Noted_. 

Captain America is a super soldier with an unwavering moral conscience. 

_All about righteousness! I got that vibe right off the bat from our earlier interactions._

She skips over the details of Iron Man, only pointing out that once you get past his casual arrogance and callousness, he’s quite a good guy. 

_Yet to be seen._

_Although if he’s fighting to help save Earth, I guess he can’t be that bad._

Nat also tells you about her own expertise, along with those of a man named Clint. He’s one of two people who have fallen under Loki’s spell and is now working for the enemy. The other is a man named Erik Selvig, who Loki seems to be using for his scientific prowess.

Nat seems to have quite a connection with Clint, and you can see the worry hidden in her eyes as she speaks about needing to get him back.

After your little chat, she gives you directions to the lab where you are to meet with the others once finished. Before leaving, she also gives you a tiny communication earpiece, instructing you to use it when appropriate.

With her gone, you turn your attention towards the clothing in your duffle bag. You never really had a signature outfit, always just dressing appropriately for the job at hand. 

Today, you’re wearing the only outfit you had packed: a white tank top with a black leather jacket, tight, dark blue jeans, and a pair of black military boots. You also have a number of belts and straps secured around your thighs and waist in order to holster a select number of weaponry. Your father’s gift is safely tucked inside the holster on your left thigh. Lastly, in each earlobe is a tiny little amethyst gem. 

Your mother had gifted you the earrings on the same day you received the dagger. You swear your parents must have collaborated on the matching gifts, but they always denied it. 

Leaving the duffle bag where it is, now filled with the dress, shoes and sweater from earlier, you mentally follow Nat’s directions in an attempt to meet up with the remaining members of the team.

\---

As you enter the lab, a constant, high pitched beeping catches your attention. 

_What’s going on here?_

An agitated Banner brushes past you, heading towards his computers with Natasha on his heels.

Thor is rattling on about how the tesseract has been located and that it belongs on Asgard, while Steve and Tony are aggressively arguing with each other. Fury is standing in the centre of the room, dumbstruck.

You slowly make your way next to the Asgardian, cautiously looking up at the large, agitated man. He barely notices you as he continues with his rant. 

_What have I gotten myself into?_

As you wearily take in the chaos around you, a violent burst of energy hits the helicarrier, Thor immediately springs into action, shielding you from the brunt of the blast as you both drop to the ground.

There is panic and confusion on the aircraft as announcements are made urgently over the PA system and alarms begin blaring at a deafening volume. 

Squirming out from under Thor’s grasp, you head into the hall.

“No, wait!” Ignoring his concerned tone, you begin your search for his brother. 

_This is definitely his doing, I have to find him._

You spend a decent amount of time scrambling through the halls, peeking into each and every accessible room, only stopping to help those who have been injured, or assist in disabling the armed intruders.

Just when you’re about to give up -- you find it. 

The container housing Loki is situated in the centre of the room, there is a control panel placed near the door, and metal grate flooring and stairs can be found throughout the area.

Cautiously, you enter. Slowly taking the steps up towards the prison housing the man you’d been searching for. 

Loki’s eyes are trained on you, watching each and every movement as you ascend the stairs towards him.

“Mm, there you are.” He approaches the glass, placing a hand flat on the barrier. “I was waiting for you to come visit me. What took you so long?” His glowing blue gaze narrows as you stop before him.

“Loki.” Your eyes soften as you gaze into his. “Tell me that what happened at Stuttgart wasn’t all your doing.” Loki raises an eyebrow, curious as to what you’re trying to imply. “Tell me it’s some kind of mind control magic, like what happened to Clint and Erik Selvig!” His eyes shimmer dangerously as a wide menacing grin spreads across his lips.

“Such misplaced optimism you have.” His eyes dart behind you as one of his cronies uses the control panel to unlock the container door. 

As the door slides open, you carefully back away, Loki slowly encroaching on you, a small half smirk decorating his pale face.

That’s when you hear the loud roar of none other than -- the other Asgardian.

“NO!” Peering over your shoulder, you see Thor angrily lunging towards you.

You hear his heavy footsteps approaching and quickly step aside, hoping to avoid the impact while assisting him in constraining his younger brother.

As the container door slams shut, you’re shocked to find the older Asgardian Prince on the wrong side of the glass. 

Turning to face his brother, Loki places his hands behind his back, a skeptical look on his face as he stares through the glass.

“Are you ever not going to fall for that?” 

While Loki is distracted, you quickly turn your attention towards the henchman who had freed him in the first place. The man has his gun pointed directly at you. In the blink of an eye, you’re standing in front of him. Taking advantage of his surprise, you forcefully strike at the soft spot just below his sternum and drive the base of your palm into the underside of his nose as he falls backwards onto the ground, motionless.

_At least I’m not completely incompetent._

Both Thor and Loki turn their attention towards the rattling sound of his body hitting the grates.

“That.. Was quite unnecessary.” Loki raises his eyebrows in shock, briefly studying the unconscious man before you. 

Enraged, Thor raises his hammer threateningly, slamming it against the glass. The immense force behind his swing causes a large crack to form on the surface.

“Loki. I’m going to let him out.” You slowly approach the control panel, eyes locked on the dark haired man before you. “We’re just trying to help you.” 

“My dear..” You stop in your tracks as he beats you to the controls. “Do you recall the tales I’ve told you about us Asgardians being immortal?” His mischievous gaze briefly sweeps to yours before returning to his brother. “Should we test that?”

As he reaches towards the eject button, a dagger flies towards his outstretched hand, causing an instinctive reaction to pull away. Tutting in disappointment, his gaze retraces the path of the dagger, stopping on you. 

More specifically on your hand, where another dagger is already clutched tightly between your fingers. 

“Move away, please.” From behind you, a S.H.I.E.L.D agent emerges. He is wearing a black suit with a white button up shirt. A serious look crosses his face as he clutches onto a large and rather intimidating looking gun. 

The man steps in front of you, holding the weapon threateningly towards Loki. “You like this?” Loki freezes, an expression of concern on his face as he slowly raises his hands up in surrender. “We started working on the prototype after you sent the Destroyer.” He pauses for a moment before continuing. “Even I don’t know what it does.”

As the agent continues his march towards Loki, you cautiously follow behind, dagger tightly gripped between your fingers.

“Do you want to find out?” As the weapon begins to power up, you frown, eyes carefully scanning the man before you.

_Something’s off._

From the corner of your eye, you see him, the _real_ Loki.

He’s right next to you, a short distance behind the agent. Loki has the scepter clutched tightly between his fingers. An evil grin spreading across his lips as he prepares to drive the scepters blade into the agent’s back.

As the blade moves with great force towards its intended destination, Loki scowls in confusion, his blue eyes flickering green for a quick instant.

The blade is impaled through the centre of _your_ chest. You place your palms on his shoulders, weakly pushing him away as the dagger you’d been holding slips and falls to the ground with a clatter. He doesn’t budge. You glance down at your white shirt, now torn and stained with blood, the blade still deep inside you.

“Foolish mortal!” Loki’s expression changes to one of annoyance as he continues to force the blade deeper still, pushing it clean through not only your body, but that of the distracted agent behind you. 

“NO!!” Thor shouts angrily, pounding on the glass cage.

Loki shakes his head in disbelief as he swiftly removes the scepter from your weakened bodies. The agent drops to the floor, groaning in agony as the weapon slips from his loosened grasp.

The moment the blade is removed, your legs give way and you fall forward, Loki catching you in his arms. Staring at the blood stained scepter, you see it’s blade magically retract back to normal size.

“Ugh, how troublesome.” Loki sighs sharply as he stoops down, tossing you over his shoulder. You wince in pain as your gaping wound makes rough contact with the leather of his outfit.

“Hush. You only have yourself to blame.” He silently walks over to the control panel, tossing a devilish look towards his brother as he uses a free hand to poke at the buttons. 

“Loki, no! You’ve done enough!” Thor raises his hammer again and again towards the glass, but it does not shatter.

“Goodbye, dear brother. Enjoy the ride.” You weakly groan in protest as you watch the glass container plummet downwards, Thor still trapped inside.

As Loki turns to leave, the injured agent challenges him.

“You’re going to lose.” Loki stops, turning back.

The rest of the conversation is lost on you, the ringing in your ears becomes deafening loud and your eyes are no longer able to remain open. 

The next thing you feel is a tremendous force hitting Loki’s body as you both go flying, dust and debris dropping over the both of you. 

You are too weak to react and too numb to feel any further pain.

_I couldn’t stop him._

_Again._

You’re being lifted and thrown over his shoulder once more.

_Where is he taking me?_

_And why?_

_Why not leave me to die?_

Moments later, the rush of cool air dances across your skin as the wind tousles your hair playfully. Fresh air mixed with the scent of wet blood and leather enters your lungs. 

_We’re outside?_

You feel yourself being set down. 

_On a bench perhaps_? 

An arm wraps around you, holding you in place as a cool pressure sets itself on your open wound. The icy feeling radiates throughout your entire body, emanating from the source pressed against you. 

The ringing in your ears begins to wane until you can barely hear it at all. 

Senses steadily returning, you slowly open your eyes, finding yourself next to Loki on the back of an ascending jet. The aircraft door closes as you both take a final glimpse of the helicarrier you’re leaving behind. 

Your gaze drops downward to see Loki’s palm set directly on your injury. 

The strange feeling is coming from him. 

_But how?_

Your heavy eyelids drop as you take in a deep breath. 

The lingering smell of blood fades away as a newly familiar scent envelops you.

_Musky earth._

_Wood._

_Fire._

_Vanilla._

_A hint of leather this time as well. No doubt from his chosen attire._

Giving yourself up to his comforting touch, you feel the warmth of his breath on your skin as he whispers softly:

“ _Sleep._ ”

And so, you do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The upcoming chapter will wrap up the events of the first Avengers movie!
> 
> I've started writing it already, but it needs a ton of rework! Since exams are coming up and I have been slacking hardcore, it probably won't be ready for another 2 or 3 weeks from now. We'll see though, I might work on the fic during my study breaks xD
> 
> Also, the rating has changed to M because I've decided that there will be smut (still a decent ways in the future), but it will be written in a way that allows readers to skip it without any consequences. That way if you aren't about that life, it won't affect the story in any way! But I thought I should just update the rating anyway. :)
> 
> Anyway, hope all is well! And as always, thanks for taking the time to read!! :D


	7. Battle of New York

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been using my evenings to write, so here you have it! :D Apologies for the weird puctuation or formatting! I tried to find and fix them all, but the copying and pasting over from GoogleDocs does strange things.
> 
> Anyway, this chapter wraps up the events of the first Avengers movie!

You jolt upright, eyes wide, urgently gasping for air. 

Your heart is racing, yet you feel cold. 

An odd tingling sensation runs through your body, similar to that of sitting by a warm fire after being out in the freezing cold for far too long.

Similar to _thawing out_. 

Gently wiping a hand across your forehead, it comes off sticky with sweat.

As your breathing calms, you take the time to scan your surroundings.

You're atop a red leather couch in a rather luxurious looking room. The floor is lined with shiny black tiles, save for the area you’re in, where a cream coloured shag carpet sits beneath the sofa, chairs and table. 

_Wait. I’m supposed to be dead._

Hesitantly, your gaze drops to your chest.

Nothing.

In fact, your shirt is in pristine condition. 

It’s no longer torn or bloodstained.

 _How?!_

Carefully examining the location where the blade had pierced through your body, you gently run delicate fingers along the soft, smooth skin. 

_This isn’t possible._

Suddenly, the room shudders and your ears are hit by the sound of explosions mixed with horrified shrieks from below.

You dart towards the large glass windows, just realizing now that one of them is completely shattered.

Eyes widening in horror, you take in the sight before you.

Hovering high above the buildings and skyscrapers is a blue, swirling circle from which ships and foreign creatures pour out into the city. The creatures are decimating everything in their path, you wince in discomfort as the smell of singed hair and flesh reaches your nostrils. 

Below you, cars are parked haphazardly, abandoned by their drivers on sidewalks, and in the middle of intersections. In the distance, you see a number of buildings ablaze from the destruction of the alien invasion. 

_Loki, what have you done?_

Recalling Natasha’s instruction of using the communicator, you remove it from your pocket, popping the small device into your ear. 

“Hello!? Anyone there!?” There is an urgency in your voice and you hope that they are still alive.

“Where have you been? You’re missing out on all the fun!” Tony’s response is crystal clear. 

_Good tech. Gotta give him credit for that._

“What’s going on?” Your eyes dart frantically through the city streets below in search of your companions.

“Loki. He did it.” Steve’s voice booms through the earpiece. “The portal’s open, we need to find a way to stop this!”

“What happened to you!? Where did you go?” Nat’s voice is full of concern, you hear the echo of gunshots in the background and have no doubt that she’s currently engaged in combat.

“How is it that you live?” Thor’s tone is one of pure confusion. 

_Oh that’s right. Thor’s the only one who saw what happened to me.._

“How are _you_ alive?!” Last time you saw him, he was falling down to Earth in an indestructible glass container. 

“Can we have this conversation later please?” An unfamiliar voice chimes in. “I’m Clint, by the way.” Exiting the doors onto the large, winding balcony of Stark Towers, you lean over the glass railing, trying to trace the source of the opening in the sky.

“Hey Clint. I’m--” 

“ _Violet Spectre_. Vi for short.” Tony injects, chuckling softly to himself. You give an agitated sigh, but don’t bother arguing.

“I’m gonna head up to the roof, to the source of the portal.” You’re barely able to make it a few steps from the door before a Chitauri soldier flies by, abandoning its craft and dropping down in front of you. Another follows suit, landing with a thud a short distance behind you. 

“The barrier is unbreachable.” Tony states matter of factly. “Even I couldn’t get through it. But you’re more than welcome to try.” Large explosions in the distance rock the building as you grab onto the railing to regain balance. “Just don’t die. I don’t need your death on my conscience.”

“Will try!” Turning the communication device off, you quickly grab a pistol from your holster, shooting at the creature before you, first in the knee, then in the arm, then a few times square in the face until it drops to the ground, motionless. You blow at the smoking barrel of your gun before placing it back on your side, turning your focus to the creature behind you.

Snatching a purple hilted dagger from your boot, you swiftly drive the blade backwards deep into the Chitauri’s gut. Pushing the hilt further inside the beast, you drag it upwards, slicing a vertical line through its abdomen as it falls onto its back with a crash. Pulling a white cloth from your pocket, you wipe its dark blood off your blade before setting it back into its hilt.

Your eyes lock onto the ladder, situated on the far wall. 

Picking up the pace, you quickly approach the centre of the balcony, only to be hit by something heavy, immediately bringing you to the ground. Pulling your hands up to the side, palms flat on the tiled ground, you weakly attempt to lift your body upwards, coughing out the dirty that had entered your lungs from the impact. 

Before you’re fully able to rise, an unnaturally large hand wraps itself around your waist, raising you off the ground and turning you towards its face.

It looks like one of _them_. One of the aliens. But different. Almost gorilla-like in nature with its hunched stance and large forearms.

The creature's beady eyes examine you carefully before releasing its grip on you, dropping you to the ground once more. It roars angrily towards the sky, jaw protruding forward, split in half down the middle with a row of intimidating jagged teeth decorating each side. Your eyes widen in horror as its powerful fists beat at its chest before setting its heavy knuckles down next to your head, caging you beneath it. Its head moves closer to yours, so close that you can see the foam pooling at the corners of its mouth, and smell the death and decay radiating from its body.

Its large mandibles snap ferociously at the air directly in front of you, causing you to instinctively push your palms upwards against its lower jaw in an attempt to keep it as far away as possible. The beast furiously shakes its head from side to side, making an effort to rid itself of your grip. But you don't relent, fingers gripping tightly to the rough skin around its jaw.

_I can’t die yet!_

You strain in agony, grunting in pain as the creature makes an effort at pushing back against you. Shutting your eyes tight, you dig your nails into its skin, and in one final effort, you manage to push it back to arms length. It roars in frustration and you feel the whole area around you rumbling unsteadily.

You hold the position for as long as you can, clutching tightly to its jaw, listening to its thunderous roar, ear-shattering screech, lowered whimper.

Then silence.

After a few moments you realize the creature has been still for far too long. Any effort it had made to rally against you has disappeared. 

Slowly, one at a time, your eyes open.

You’re shaken from the sight before you. 

The creature is _frozen_. 

Solid. 

It’s face is twisted in agony, one of its arms raised high in the air, no doubt ready to hammer down onto your skull.

Quickly scrambling out from underneath the frozen creature, you back up in fear, glancing around expectantly.

_Someone?_

_Anyone?_

No one is around. 

You stare down at your bare hands, flexing your fingers in confusion. There is a blue tinge in the centre of your palms and you gasp quietly as it quickly fades away, not leaving a single trace.

_Did I just.._

The sound of shattering glass snaps you back to the present as your eyes dart upwards to see that the frozen creature has been shattered, pieces of its body lie in a thousand tiny fragments of ice.

You follow the trail of ice and glass to find..

_Loki?_

An expression of annoyance is plastered across his face as he lays in the mix of ice and glass, gaze focused on something in the distance.

Following his stare, your eyes widen in surprise as a giant green creature hurls itself towards him. 

_That must be Hulk._

Loki gets thrown straight through the glass window of the penthouse as Hulk roars with anger before noticing your presence.

He is large, standing 8ft tall, body completely covered in tight, rippling muscles. Hulk is green from head to toe, green skin, green hair, green eyes -- though of varying shades. He seems to have lost his shirt in the battle, as all he has on is a tight pair of ripped and tattered purple pants.

“VIOLET… SPECTRE?” He enunciates the words loudly, slowly as he looks you up and down.

“Just give me a moment.” You turn your back to him, heading into the penthouse with a meaningful stride as a puzzled look crosses his face. “Then he’s all yours.”

Entering the penthouse, you notice that Loki has the scepter in one hand, while the other hand is brushing dust and debris from his clothing in an irritated manner. He glances up, the sound of footsteps on the tiles signaling your arrival.

As you watch that cocky smirk spread across his face, rage pumps through your veins, fueling your approach.

_Enough._

_This is_ **_NOT_ ** _the fun, playful Loki I spent hours and hours sharing my life with!_

**_Snap out of it!_ **

“Ah, mor--” A loud crack echoes through the penthouse as you land a searing slap across Loki’s face, strong enough for his head to jerk to the side and for the scepter in his hand to go flying across the room. 

From the balcony, you can hear Hulk gasp in surprise from witnessing the scene. 

Loki slowly turns back to face you, the blue of his eyes steadily fading to green as he places a hand on his burning cheek. “What _exactly_ did I do to deserve that?”

You grab his arm, dragging him over to the shattered glass windows before pointing towards the sky. 

“Look.” His eyes scan the scene before him, buildings and cars are on fire, the dark grey smoke 

slowly spreading across the sky as Chitauri continue to tear apart anything they can get their hands on.

There is death and destruction everywhere. 

“Look at what they’re doing! They’re uncontrollable, one of them almost _killed_ me.” His eyes briefly dart towards you with the tiniest hint of concern that vanishes quickly as he refocuses on the scene ahead. 

“I know you’re the God of Mischief and mayhem, and all that -- but this!?” You stare at him, a pleading look on your face. 

“They’re going to destroy the entire planet! Is that what you want?! To rule over a kingdom in ruins? I _know_ it isn’t!” You reach forward, grabbing his face firmly between your palms, forcing him to notice the desperation in your eyes.

“Help me stop this!” His eyes are locked on yours and you can see them soften ever so slightly as he considers your words. Placing his hands upon yours, he removes them from his face, tossing them away carelessly as his gaze returns to the chaotic state of the city before you. His eyes move upwards, settling on the large hole in the sky.

Loki folds his hands behind his back turning away from the windows, eyes focused on the opposite wall. 

“I’ve never been a fan of the Chitauri anyway. They’re quite pathetic actually.” You watch him in anticipation, eager to see if he’s decided to help you. “Taking over this city is taking them far too long.” His eyes narrow as he continues.

“You’ll need to close the portal. But the tesseract has a powerful barrier around it.” Silently, his head motions towards the scepter laying by the bar at the back of the room.

Letting out a sigh of relief, you throw your arms around his neck, pulling him tight up against you.

“I knew it. I _knew_ you weren’t the monster they’ve made you out to be.”

Loki arms are raised in shock as he looks down at you strangely. 

“Don’t go spreading that around.” Two slim fingers grasp at the sleeve of your coat, tugging gently in an attempt to loosen your tight clutch on him. “Be on your way, mortal. Before I change my mind.”

“Thank you.” Freeing him from your grip, you rush over to grab the scepter and head towards the balcony doors. 

“Oh, and.. I’m sorry.” You glance over your shoulder, sending him an apologetic look before turning to leave.

“Sorry? For wha--” Before he is able to finish the question, a green muscular boulder collides with his body.

You head towards the roof top ladder, uninterrupted this time as you activate the communication device.

“I’ve got Loki’s scepter. It can close the portal!”

“I’m on the roof with Selvig! Bring it here.” Nat’s hopeful voice responds as you quicken your pace.

Natasha fills you in on all that's happened while you’ve been dealing with Loki. 

The World Security Council had lost faith in the Avengers, launching a nuclear missile at Midtown Manhattan in an attempt to curb the Chitauri invasion.

Tony is attempting to dispose of the missile.

You watch in weary anticipation as he soars towards the tower, pivoting upwards, parallel to the stream of energy emanating from the tesseract. He carries the missile further and further up into the sky, until he is no longer visible.

The numerous floating Chitauri ships surrounding the area abruptly stop mid-air and begin dropping like flies. Cautiously glancing down towards the streets of New York City, you see that the Chitrauri have suffered the same fate, the pavement is littered with their lifeless bodies. 

“He did it.” You look back up towards the sky, hoping to see the shiny Ironman suit headed back to Earth.

“Come on Stark.” You hear Natasha whisper to herself as she gazes upwards waiting for his return. A few moments later, she turns towards you, a look of despair in her eyes. 

“We can’t wait any longer.” Clutching the scepter tightly, she pushes it through the barrier towards the glowing cube at its centre.

Your eyes are still focused upwards, watching with hopeful anticipation as the portal slowly begins to close. 

“There he is!” You spot a small figure falling from the sky. 

A red and yellow figure.

_Tony!_

You share a relieved smile with Natasha before she gives the final push, closing the portal completely, putting an end to the invasion once and for all.

Helping Selvig to his feet, she instructs you to go and keep an eye on Loki while she checks up on the rest of the team.

Upon returning to the penthouse, you find Loki laying in a crater on the floor, blank green eyes trained upwards with arms folded neatly across his stomach.

“Traitor.” He declares matter of factly as you come closer, settling down on the stoop next to him. 

“I’m sorry.. But he’d been waiting so patiently, I couldn’t just--” You send him a remorseful look and he responds with a spiteful glare.

“You could have. You chose not to.” You notice that his face is decorated with a number of tiny smudges and scratches, no doubt from the encounter with Hulk. 

“He really did a number on your, huh?” Motioning at the depression around him, you grin teasingly. “Luckily you’re immortal right? Super strength, speed, healing and all that?”

“It still.. Hurts.” He coughs dramatically in an attempt to fool you into believing he’s worse off than he truly is. You shake your head knowingly as he gives up the act, green eyes moving to your wound-free chest instead. 

“I see you’ve healed nicely.” His gaze returns to the ceiling.

You gently set a hand atop your chest.

“Did you do this? Heal me?” The corner of his lips rise slightly, forming a satisfied smirk.

“Yes.” The smirk transforms into something softer, something more genuine. 

A sincere smile. 

Something you’d never seen from him.

Timidly, you reach towards him, gently tracing your fingers over the knicks and scratches on the side of his face before tenderly cupping his cheek in your hand. 

_I knew it. He’s proven yet again that he’s not the pure evil being everyone seems to think he is._

To your surprise, his eyes flutter closed as he leans into your touch, ever so slightly. 

“Thank you..” You can’t help but smile at the sight before you. “To be fair though, you were the one who stabbed me.” He scoffs softly, eyes remaining closed.

You relish in the moment, delicately running your thumb across his skin as his breathing calms.

You can’t help but wonder if this is the _real_ Loki. 

If deep down, he yearns for affection. 

_Is the side he shows the world just a facade?_

You begin to realize that this moment is not meant to last, not only because the Avengers would be here soon, but because he would surely be taken away to be punished for his crimes.

You quickly retreat your hand from his cheek, barely catching the slight hum of disapproval emanating from his throat at the loss of contact.

“Where will they take you?” You look down at him, a worried look in your eyes.

“Hmm. I imagine my brother will be taking me back to Asgard.” His eyes open, focusing on the ceiling once more. 

“And then? You helped us close the portal, they’ll take that into account won’t they?”

“Doubtful..I’ll likely be imprisoned.” He shrugs casually as that familiar grin creeps its way across his face once more.

“Why? Does my little mortal fret for me?” He turns to face you. “You needn’t worry. I will most likely still be around thousands of years after you’ve passed on.”

You sigh, leaning your elbows back against the upper step. 

“Though if I am to be imprisoned, I shall be expecting a visit from you.” He faces the ceiling once more, motioning dramatically with his arms as he continues. “To break me out. We’ll travel the Nine Realms, mischievous adventures wherever we go.” You sigh, fighting back a smile. 

_This is really not the time to be joking._

“You know I don’t approve of your mischievous adventures right? Not if they end up like this one anyway.” You send him a disapproving glare.

“Very well. Only adventures approved of by the mortal then!” His chuckles to himself, placing his hands neatly across his stomach ones more. “Though I must be allowed some leniency, I am the God of Mischief after all.” A tiny grin is tossed your way, and you’re unable to hold back a reluctant smile. 

“I jest of course. I doubt you will ever see me again.” He stares upwards thoughtfully. “For the best I’m sure, considering how much I have intruded on your life. You can return to that fellow-- Jared was it?” Loki props himself up on an elbow, turning towards you, carefully gauging your reaction.

“It’s Jasper.” You correct him before sending a narrow eyed glare his way. “And stop it.. Please.”

This is all too much.

The idea of never seeing him again, it’s..

_Unbearable._

It’s exactly what you’d worked so hard to avoid these past two years. 

“Hm. I’d thought you’d be grateful.” Shrugging slightly, he drops back down into his hole with a quiet thud as remnants of debris float up around him. You notice that his eyes seem to soften slightly as he returns to staring up at the ceiling in deep thought.

The two of you sit silently in each other's company a while longer before the ding of the elevator marks the Avengers’ arrival.

Hugs and handshakes are shared amongst the group as everyone relishes in the fact that total annihilation has been avoided. 

Tony looks around at the mess in his penthouse, insisting that everyone help him clean, while Natasha and Clint head over to the bar to start making some celebratory drinks. 

Hulk is hovering over Loki, eyes narrowed.

You’re off to the side, intently listening to Steve recall the events that occurred after you were taken by Loki, when suddenly you feel a hand roughly grip at your arm.

“Excuse us.” Thor flashes a fake smile towards the other man as he silently drags you over to a quiet corner of the penthouse, away from the others. 

His blue eyes are trained on your chest as he reaches out to gently touch the area where your wound should have been.

“Impossible.” Thor mutters the word to himself as he pulls his hand away, eyes returning to yours. “Was this Loki’s doing? Did he not harm you? Was it all an illusion?” 

“It wasn’t an illusion. He…” You set a palm on your chest, the same way Loki had on the jet. “He healed me.” Thor frowns, shaking his head.

“He has no such abilities.” His eyes roam your body suspiciously. “He is only capable of healing himself.” Thor peers over at his brother, still under Hulk’s watchful gaze, then back towards you, clear mistrust in his eyes. “Something strange is at play here.”

“Thor.” You attempt to change the topic. There’s no point in trying to convince Thor that he’s brother isn’t actually _that_ bad. Huddled in the corner of Stark’s destroyed penthouse after an alien invasion isn’t the time. 

“Loki helped close the portal. He told me that the scepter was the key to closing it.” Thor raises an eyebrow, surprised. “He says you’ll be taking him back to Asgard.” 

“He speaks the truth. The Allfather shall judge him for his crimes.” You send a look of distress his way.

“Do you think he’ll be… _Beheaded_?” Just the thought of it made you shudder in discomfort.

Thor’s eyes soften as a puzzled look crosses his face. 

“Do you truly trouble yourself over my brothers well being?” 

“I…”

A frustrated roar draws everyone's attention to the mischievous prince and his oversized guard.

The sneer on Loki’s face is a clear result of successfully pestering the poor giant. 

“We shall speak of this later.” Thor sets a firm hand on your shoulder, giving you an approving nod as he heads back towards his brother. You trail behind quietly. 

_I care about him._

The older Asgardian prince pulls his brother up off the ground, bringing forth a pair of metal handcuffs which he then proceeds to slap onto his brother’s wrists. Loki is not phased, a grin forming on his face as his gaze moves from the cuffs, to Thor, to finally stopping on you.

You give him a disapproving shake of your head before noticing that a number of authoritative looking men have entered the room. One of them, a bald man with glasses, takes the scepter from Natasha. 

_Wait. That scepter’s dangerous. Shouldn’t Thor…_

“On my way down to coordinate search and rescue.” Steve strides by with purpose, duties clearly not yet complete.

Bringing your attention back to the scepter, you gently set a hand on Thor’s arm, ready to protest the idea of keeping such a dangerous weapon on Earth, but instead let out a loud yelp of surprise at the sight of Captain America standing right next to you, handcuffed.

“On my way _down_ to coordinate _search_ and rescue.” He enunciates the words “down” and “rescue” mockingly before a green aura surrounds him, returning him to his true form -- Loki -- who’s rolling his eyes in absolute loathing.

“I mean honestly! How do you keep your food dow--” 

“Shut up.” Thor slaps a metallic device across his brother's lips, silencing him for good. As you stifle a giggle, the older Asgardian gives you a disapproving glance. “I’m not sure how you’re able to put up with him.”

You smile half-heartedly, meeting Loki’s mischievous gaze. “He’s not so bad.” 

Yet another distraction dealt with, you look around in search of the scepter -- realizing that it’s too late. The scepter is gone. 

_It’s going to be in S.H.I.E.L.D’s possession right? Fury seems trustworthy enough._

“Let’s get going then, chop chop everyone!” Tony’s voice echoes through the room as he claps his hands together, pointing towards the lift. 

You follow Thor, Loki and Tony into the elevator, the latter man settling himself comfortably on the metal box housing the tesseract. There are a number of armed guards already inside, ready and waiting to escort Loki downstairs.

Hulk lumbers towards the elevator, eager to join his colleagues, as Thor and Tony quickly raise their hands in objection. 

“Woah woah woah woah! What do you think?” Tony holds his arms open, shrugging. “Maximum occupancy has been reached.” Stomping angrily, Hulk’s fists clench and unclench as annoyance displays clearly on his face. 

“Take the stairs!” Thor suggests as the elevator doors begin to close.

From the corner of your eye you catch Loki waving, fingers flopping up and down in a patronizing manner. 

_We don’t want to make the powerful green giant angry._

Sighing, you quickly grab at his fingers, forcing his hand down to his side as Hulk catches a glimpse of the mocking action, angrily punching the elevator door just as it closes.

Loki’s eyes drop down to your hands before darting back up to meet your gaze. The crinkles forming at the corners of his eyes tell you that he’s grinning beneath that magical muzzle. You roll your eyes, avoiding his stare as he turns his hand, positioning his palm against yours. Eyes focused on the elevator door, you gasp softly as his thumb traces gentle circles in the centre of your palm, causing you to quickly, but discreetly withdraw from his touch.

_What’s he playing at?_

As much as you’ve been enjoying these sweet, yet truly confusing moments with him, you knew that he’d be gone soon. 

Likely _forever_.

The elevator reaches its destination, doors opening wide, as you make your way towards the main doors of Stark Towers. Thor and Tony are positioned at the head of the concession, with you and Loki side by side surrounded by the guards. Before you can make it very far a number of men in suits approach, halting you in your steps.

A short conversation ensues where an older gentleman named Alexander Pierce, demands to take both Loki and the tesseract with him for safe keeping.

“Loki will be answering to Odin himself.” Thor’s reply causes an exaggerated eye roll from the man beside you and his eyes lock onto yours as he shakes his head in exasperation.

Before the conversation can continue, there is a loud bang -- everyone’s attention is drawn to your left, where Hulk comes bursting through the doors.

“NO STAIRS!” He shouts angrily at passerbyers who are fleeing in fear.

Thor and Tony return their attention to Alexander, argument continuing as before.

Eventually, the crowd parts and you’re able to leave the building in relative peace. 

Lunch is had at a local shawarma restaurant suggested by Tony. 

Everyone eats in silence, exhausted from the past few hours. 

Loki sits in the corner of the little shop, Mjolnir set firmly atop his chest.

After lunch, everyone is gathered at the park to ensure Loki's return to Asgard goes smoothly. As Banner, Selvig and the rest of the Avengers work to properly secure the tesseract in its container, you stand a ways away with Loki, guards no longer present. 

Thor has allowed you a few moments alone with his brother. Relatively alone anyway, you’re still within eyesight of all the others.

Standing a good distance away from each other, your eyes are locked.

“I’m mad at you.” His eyebrows shoot up and his eyes soften, an apologetic look crossing his face. You frown, glancing over his shoulder at the others before deciding your next move.

“Will I ever see you again?” He tilts his head to the side, shaking it slightly as he shrugs heavily. 

A small sigh escapes your lips as you impulsively close the gap, wrapping your arms around his waist and taking his scent in, for what’s likely to be the final time. Even with all that’s happened, that unique scent of smokey firewood and vanilla still brings you comfort.

Loki is taken aback, eyes wide and eyebrows raised in shock as he looks down at you, wrapped tightly around him. His features soften slightly, eyes narrowing as he cautiously glances over his shoulder at the others. Deeming it safe, he lets his arms drop over you, warily holding you in a gentle embrace. His actions are hesitant and insecure, like he’s had little to no experience with such tender gestures.

_This is all so confusing._

_I’m crazy._

_I must be if I’m feeling this way towards a war criminal._

_“_ Ahem.” Startled, both you and Loki release each other, rush back to your original positions, eyes wide in horror at being caught in such an unlikely intimate position.

A tiny smirk appears on Thor’s face as he signals for Natasha and Clint to come remove Loki from the area. They do so, leaving you alone with the older Asgardian prince.

“You.” He looks down at you curiously. “You seem to have enchanted my brother. In a way I deemed not possible.” You can feel your cheeks burning as you avoid his gaze. “It is truly impressive!” He lets out a hearty laugh as your eyes slowly lift to meet his.

“I asked a favour from Nick Fury.” Thor grabs your hand, placing a small piece of paper in your palm before closing your fingers over it for safekeeping. “Here. The Bifrost Bridge is broken at the moment, but if anyone can find a way to make contact between our realms, it’s her.” He taps a finger on your closed fist. 

“My brother is known for his manipulation and lies, thus I am quite wary.. I do not wish for you to come into harm's way.” He sets a giant hand on your shoulder. “But from what I’ve seen between the two of you.. Perhaps there is hope for him yet.” Thor smiles, pulling you into a tight hug before releasing and holding you at arms length.

“Be well, my friend. Let us hope to meet again.” He gives you a quick nod before returning to his brother’s side.

Loki’s piercing stare stays trained on you the whole time, even as the tesseract engulfs both Asgardian princes into a stream of blinding blue energy.

As the flow of energy dissipates into nothingness, you study the slip of paper in your hand. 

There is an email address and phone number attached to a name:

_Jane Foster._

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Exams be coming on Tuesday and Thursday so I'm not sure how soon I can get the next chapter up.. But I do hope you've been enjoying it so far!
> 
> As always, thanks for taking the time to read! :)


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